Where were you when Ben Affleck was cast? Last week, news broke that Ben Affleck, the guy who wrote and directed "The Town" and "Argo" and, yes, starred in "Gigli" and "Daredevil," had been cast as the next iteration of the Dark Knight. Affleck is now set to star opposite Henry Cavill as Superman in 2015's still untitled "Man of Steel" sequel, widely speculated to be called "Batman vs. Superman." The Internet, to put it mildly, did not take this lightly. It seems Affleck's former reputation as a talentless pretty boy has refused to die, considering the millions of nerds attempting to usurp Affleck from the cowl with idiotic rants and pointless petitions to the White House. To these so-called "fans" I ask-where do you get off?
Did none of you see "The Town" or "Argo?" Did none of you see Affleck's nuanced performances in "State of Play" or "Hollywoodland," where he played, respectively, a billionaire and an actor-turned-media superhero? Affleck's come a long way from the guy who played Daredevil, having reshaped himself into an Oscar winning screenwriter, actor and director. To put it simply, this guy knows his stuff. Not only is he now a major Hollywood player, but his longtime friendship with Kevin Smith and childhood love of comic books have given him a unique understanding of the superhero mindset. Affleck's past roles have practically primed him for Bruce Wayne, both the playboy persona by day and the brooding vigilante by night.
But this also begs the question- what exactly does Ben Affleck's casting bode for the Superman/Batman film? Ever since the announcement that "Man of Steel" would be followed up by this crossover film, various thoughts have crossed my mind. Does Warner Brothers really have no faith in Superman, to the point they think casting Batman will get more people to go? Is this all an attempt to compete with "The Avengers," and if so is anything about this film really sincere? If there is more to this than a gimmick, how will the film successfully build on the story and character arcs of the previous film while introducing a new, rebooted version of Batman, especially one so soon after the previous trilogy? In short, how the hell is this going to work, Ben Affleck or otherwise?
Well, let's take into account what WB hopes to get out of Ben Affleck as Batman that they didn't get out of Christian Bale. First off, Bale was a more realistic Batman, one who had military grade equipment, sought to take down organized crime, and ultimately wanted to give up his persona to live a normal life. As celebrated as Bale was, there are still many hardcore fans who decry this version as not representing the Batman of the comics. That Batman was the World's Greatest Detective, who had a strategy for everything, resources to take down every superhero, and an uncompromising spirit that refused to quit the cowl. Zach Snyder already confirmed with Affleck's casting that he is meant to play an older, more experienced version of Bruce Wayne. This is supposedly to counter the younger, inexperienced Cavill as Superman. The fact that Snyder wishes to have an older Batman speaks volumes of what we should hope to get out of this movie.
When "Batman vs. Superman" (I seriously hope that isn't the final title) was announced, Snyder had Christopher Meloni read a quote from "The Dark Knight Returns," which features a veteran Batman fighting a Superman who had become a lapdog of the government. While by no means will this film be a straight adaptation (it is a "Man of Steel" sequel first after all), it is obvious that the filmmakers are looking to that comic for inspiration. Namely, the idea of an older Batman putting Superman in his place, so to speak. So, knowing that Affleck is set to play an elder Batman against a rookie Superman, in a plot that both follows "Man of Steel" and takes inspiration from "Dark Knight Returns," we (meaning I) can venture a guess as to how this whole thing will shake out.
David Goyer, the writer of "Man of Steel" and its upcoming sequel, said in an interview that Superman will have to deal with the repercussions of all the destruction wreaked upon Metropolis. Just like "The Dark Knight," this sequel will deal with the themes of escalation and the consequences of the previous film. For Superman, that would ultimately mean owning up to his rookie mistakes of nearly destroying a city and killing a fellow Kryptonian. Since the military still doesn't trust him, it could be that come this film, the public is still having a hard time adjusting to Supes and believing he is a savior.
The voice of the people will be Lex Luthor (Lex Corp was set up too much in the previous film and is too good a foil to both Bats and Supes not to be included here). Through his company, possibly with help from Wayne Enterprises, Luthor rebuilds Metropolis and begins a smear campaign against Superman. He proclaims that this god-like being looks human but is not, and proves it through Superman's inability to own up to the mistakes he has so far made.
While Supes doesn't like justifying killing, he truly believes he did what he had to do for the greater good. He knows he was fighting beings capable to devastating destruction and couldn't stand to see even more life taken, given his inability to use his powers publicly in adolescence. Superman continues to fly around the world, saving as many people as possible from various natural disasters and maybe even interfering in military conflicts. He is literally putting the weight of the world on his shoulders, trying desperately to gain the trust of his adopted people.
Batman, meanwhile, is introduced as a hero several years into his career. He has been watching Superman closely since his first appearance, deeply worried about Superman's allegiances. While his actions in Metropolis at the very least show he intends to do good, Batman sees a man who relies too much on raw power and doesn't take time to think before he uses them. He wants to save humanity, but every time he uses his powers he unwittingly puts more people in danger. If he keeps this up, Luthor will have even more ammunition against him, and the people will completely turn on him. Bruce decides Superman must be humbled in some way, to show that he is just as vulnerable as those he protects so as to make him think properly about the use of his powers.
Meanwhile, the government is also worried about Superman's behavior, and go to Luthor to come up with a deterrent against him. At this point in the franchise, I think it's only right that Kryptonite finally be introduced. Personally, I'd like to think this will either lead to power armor or Metallo, possibly both. Let's say John Corben is introduced as a government liaison to Luthor, who synthesizes kryptonite to power an experimental exoskeleton that could take down Supes. Since Bruce wants to humble Superman, he teams with Luthor and the military to create this exo suit. When another heroic act from Superman unwittingly causes more destruction, Bruce strong arms Luthor into giving him the suit as Batman so he can use it against Supes, saying no military man is as qualified to take down the alien.
Bats, who has been operating in the shadows for years and is only known by the criminal underworld and certain factions of police, publicly unveils himself. Superman is immediately turned off by the idea of a vigilante operating in Gotham, especially one who uses fear as a weapon. Since Batman seems to represent everything Superman hates (pessimism against optimism, dark against light, fear against hope, etc.), Superman decides to go to Gotham to deal with him. He thinks that if he publicly brings Batman in, he can win the hope of the people. When Supes arrives, Batman engages him with the exoskeleton, using its increased strength, its effects on Superman, and his own analysis of Supes' powers and personality to bring him down. We could also learn here that Batman has even deduced Superman's identity, and here we could get that famous line from "The Dark Knight Returns" that was recited at Comic-Con. In fact, I'd like this entire fight to be a homage to that comic, except for the outcome.
Batman ultimately chooses to spare Clark, saying it was his intention to humble him, not to kill him. He explains that there's a difference between having power and knowing how to use it, and that a man with gifts like his should endeavor to actually help people more than show off brute force. It is only through this can Clark actually succeed in becoming the symbol of hope Jor-El wanted for him. We see that this battle is just as much an ideological one as it is a physical one, with the two heroes seething with hatred as well as envy for one another. Clark secretly admires how an ordinary man could find the willpower to reinvent himself like he has, while Bruce admires how, despite his flaws, that this man could have easily conquered the Earth but chooses to use his powers for good. He secretly wishes he did not have to utilize fear, but instead wants to give people hope the way Superman wants to. In this way, both men have something the other wants, and thus learn and grow from each other. Like good opposites, they attract.
While this is just speculation, I'm guessing that from here we'll have the standard heroes become allies after fighting. Luthor will find a way to replicate the exoskeleton and give it to Corben, and then using the media he will defame Batman as well, trying to make him Superman's accomplice. Corben, now Metallo, can lead the military to bring the two in. Supes and Bats are then forced to go on the run together (like in the first arc of the Superman/Batman comics), and it is here that they realize they each have something the other admires. They gain a grudging respect for each other and come to see the other as a friend. In the end, they work together to take down Metallo, maybe even Luthor if he chooses to climb into a mech suit (possibly a larger, more complete one).
The end result is Luthor defeated and embittered against both men, while Superman and Batman have put aside their differences to become the World's Finest. Batman has humbled Superman in a way that he comes to realize his mistakes, atone for them, and finally become the optimistic, loving hero we all know. In doing this, Superman has realized his full potential, and has given hope not only to the people of Earth, but to Batman as well.
I admit, this is all 100% speculation. But the reason I believe strongly that we will get something close to this or at least thematically similar is because it makes sense given where this film seems to be going. We know Superman, still a rookie in the first film, needs to fully grow into his savior status, meaning he needs to own up to the destruction he caused and learn from it. He'll need to be humbled in some way and learn what it means to be vulnerable, so that he may be smarter in using his powers. This is where having a crossover with Batman could actually add to the story and characters, instead of coming off as a gimmick.
A dark character like Batman will be someone Superman at first despises for being so different from him, but in time he will become a trusted ally. This is because an older Batman will help Clark understand what it means to be truly human, since the underlying element of Bats is his humanity. Given a great script, the meeting of Superman and Batman will advance the characters, story and themes of "Man of Steel" while continuing to expand this new universe to not only create a more comic accurate Batman, but a foundation that "Justice League" can build on. If the filmmakers play their cards right, this movie can be exactly what they need to establish an ongoing DC franchise and compete with Marvel.
This is why the casting of Ben Affleck is actually key to all of this. Since we know he's playing an older Batman, it makes perfect sense for WB to go for this type of storyline. In essence, Batman will at first fight Superman (that will be the main draw for audiences) before mentoring him in how to be a better hero. By helping Superman realize his own potential, Batman will then gain a trusted friend in the war against crime and hope that his mission will someday come true. Affleck has reached the point in his career that he can pull off a compelling portrait of a tortured billionaire turned vigilante, and with his star power he can easily stack up to Cavill while teaching him the ropes. There could even be a meta twist to all this, since the seasoned Affleck, fresh off an Oscar, is the perfect person to help the inexperienced Cavill literally take off. It practically writes itself.
But of course, since this is all the ramblings of one nerd, I could be completely off base. Perhaps WB just wants Affleck for the recognition, to put some much needed star power opposite the still relatively unknown Superman, in hopes of increasing his box office. And that's most likely true in some way. But WB is not what it was in the '90s. Batman and Superman are now their biggest moneymakers, and after Chris Nolan helped make both heroes respectable again, I don't think they're stupid enough to throw all of that away. They casted Affleck for a reason.
After "Argo" and "The Town," Affleck has shown some serious potential not only as an actor, but as a writer and director as well. Whose to say he might come in and revise Goyer's script, maybe even down the line write and direct "Justice League" or a new solo Batman series? The casting of Affleck, while in many ways a gamble, is also WB's safest bet to make sure this crossover flick is more than just a gimmick to compete with Marvel. I'm hoping by 2015 my theories will have some merit, and if they don't, that's just WB's loss for once again squandering some serious potential. Here's to Ben Affleck, our new Batman, and the promise he brings to what could very well be THE comic book event of 2015.
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