On the eve of The Flash‘s theatrical release, DCEU star Ben Affleck got candid about his final time suiting up as Batman.
After more than seven years and a bumpy tenure donning the cape and cowl, Affleck is set to hang up his version of Dark Knight following his appearance in Ezra Miller’s solo super-powered adventure.
There was a point at which the Batman actor was going to return for one final cameo in Aquaman 2. However, it has since been reported his appearance was cut as DC had reportedly “changed stuff around, so he is no longer necessary to the plot.”
As the blue brand is set to welcome in a new dawn under the tutelage of newly-anointed DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, Affleck – and the entire Warner Bros. creative team – have been able to look back on the actor’s time playing the caped crusader.
Ben Affleck and His Final Batman Performance
Speaking at The Flash‘s world premiere event in Los Angeles, California, Batman star Ben Affleck shared his feelings on suiting up as the DC hero for one last time.
In a conversation with The Movie Report, Affleck candidly revealed it was all “over too soon” and he had a “great time” playing the character:
“The tone is a difficult thing with these movies, trying to figure out how serious, how dark, how funny, how engaging it is. And people that have done it really well have struck a balance with that tone, and I feel like Andy really did that with this movie. And it was a lot of fun. I really had a great time and it was over too soon.”
The Batman actor went as far as to say this was “the most fun [he] had playing this part:”
“You know, I think this was the most fun I had playing this part. It wasn’t a lot of work. It was really a cameo. And I didn’t expect or anticipate to do this, but I love Andy [Muschietti], and I really was excited, and I had such a great experience with Ezra [Miller]. I really was thrilled to come back and do it and… I don’t want to give it away, but I loved the little idea that I got to do.”
He added, he “finally sort of figured out” how to play the Dark Knight in The Flash and “love[s] the movie:”
“And I felt like I finally sort of figured out what I really looked into about this part. And I really enjoyed it, had a wonderful time, and I love the movie, and it’s really fun, and it has a really good spirit of balance.”
These comments are in line with what Affleck has previously said about the film, singing The Flash‘s praises long before it came to theaters and telling the Smartless podcast this was where he “figured out how to play [the character]:”
“I finally figured out how to play the guy… I was like, ‘Hold on, am I– Is that– I quit, I know I quit, and I know came back, but I got it now.’ It’s like, you know when you do the audition, and you’re on your way home, you’re like, ’Ooh.’”
Reflecting on the End of Batfleck
So that is it, just about a decade after being first announced as the DCEU’s Dark Knight, Ben Affleck is finally done in the cape and cowl.
And despite middling reception to just about every movie his Bruce Wayne/Batman appeared in, some will look back fondly on the actor’s time as an older and more grizzled take on the iconic DC hero.
The actor himself has had a shaky relationship with his super-powered role, with many believing his time as the character was going to end even more prematurely than it did (especially after the announcement of Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson’s The Batman).
No, Batfleck was not a part of the next movies in comic book film history. No, audiences did not get the dream Affleck-directed Batman movie that was once promised.
But now that it is all said and done, it seems that Affleck and his fans can head out on a high note, in a project he deems “the most fun” he got to have in his time in the role.
Ben Affleck’s final performance as Batman can be seen when The Flash races into theaters on Friday, June 16.
