Ben Affleck[1] has written his own Batman movie, but is only currently contracted to play the caped crusader in two forthcoming Justice League films, according to the Oscar-winning film-maker's agent.
Affleck has won guarded praise for his turn as the dark knight of Gotham in superhero blockbuster Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, even as the movie itself has suffered critical brickbats. Filmgoers appear to be ignoring the reviews, as Zack Snyder's film has zoomed to $500m worldwide[3] in less than a week on release.
"He's contracted to do at least Justice League One and Two, so at least three times wearing the cape," WME-IMG's Patrick Whitesell told the Hollywood Reporter[4], adding: "There's a script that he's written that is a really cool [Batman] idea, so that's out there as an option."
There have long been rumours that Affleck will direct himself in a solo Batman outing once the Justice League films, scheduled for 2017 and 2018, have hit cinemas. Deadline reported in July[5] that Affleck would co-write the screenplay with DC Comics chief creative officer Geoff Johns. It would be the first stand-alone Batman movie since 2012's The Dark Knight Rises.
Justice League parts one and two will see Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and other comic-book titans combine to create an Avengers-style superhero ensemble to take on mankind's greatest threats. Snyder, despite critical scorn for Batman v Superman, is attached to direct both movies.
In other Dawn of Justice news, the experience of scoring Snyder's movie was apparently enough to convince the Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer to stop working on superhero movies for good[10].
Having won huge acclaim for his brooding, Grammy-winning soundtrack to the hit Batman movie The Dark Knight in 2008, Zimmer was the obvious choice to return for the latest film. But the composer told the BBC he found the experience difficult.
[11]
"I have officially retired from the superhero business," said Zimmer, who also scored 2005's Batman Begins[12] and 2012's The Dark Knight Rises[13]. "[Batman v Superman] was very hard for me to do, to try to find new language. I did Batman Begins with Chris [Nolan] 12 year s ago, so The Dark Knight trilogy might be three movies to you; to me it was 11 years of my life."
Zimmer will be working with Nolan again, however, on the forthcoming second world war epic Dunkirk.
[14]
References
- ^ Ben Affleck (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Is the biggest Batman v Superman smackdown between fans and critics? (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ has zoomed to $500m worldwide (www.hollywoodreporter.com)
- ^ told the Hollywood Reporter (www.hollywoodreporter.com)
- ^ Deadline reported in July (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Facebook (www.facebook.com)
- ^ Twitter (twitter.com)
- ^ Pinterest (www.pinterest.com)
- ^ 'A stink bucket of disappointment' – the most savage Batman v Superman reviews (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ convince the Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer to stop working on superhero movies for good (variety.com)
- ^ The Dark Knight (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Batman Begins (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ The Dark Knight Rises (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Dunkirk (www.theguardian.com)
