Ben Affleck’s Batman Not Returning For Aquaman 2 Is Good After A Decade Of Disappointment

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was long rumored to include Ben Affleck’s Batman, yet his absence from the film is more positive than it is negative in light of the DCEU Dark Knight’s disappointing run. While many would agree that Ben Affleck performed admirably as Bruce Wayne/Batman, several outside factors contributed to his overall tenure as the Caped Crusader being regarded as a disappointment. As such, his lack of an appearance in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may be beneficial to the character.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is in an interesting position as it is the final film in what was the DCEU before James Gunn’s DCU reboot comes into effect in 2024. As such, the story of Aquaman 2 has been rumored to have changed a lot as a result. From initial rumors that Michael Keaton’s Batman would appear after his appearance in The Flash and supposed appearance in the now-canceled Batgirl to the potential return of Affleck’s Batman, the film has been subject to much speculation. However, the confirmation that Affleck’s Aquaman 2 scenes have been cut may actually be a positive thing when compared to his disappointing run as Gotham’s protector.

The Flash Movie Gave Ben Affleck’s Batman A Good (Enough) Sendoff

The primary reason as to why Affleck not appearing in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom cast of characters is a good thing is his appearance in 2023’s The Flash. Affleck played a fairly significant role in The Flash‘s first act continuing his role as a mentor to Barry Allen both as a human being and a superpowered metahuman. Despite The Flash having its own problems as a movie, Ben Affleck’s inclusion was not one of them. Affleck has had a tumultuous decade as Batman and faced many issues, most of them that were not any fault of his own.

Despite having moments of greatness since Affleck was cast as Batman in 2013, the overall state of flux the DCEU has been in since 2016 has ultimately failed the actor and his iteration rather than the other way around. This disappointing run notwithstanding, The Flash served as a very good sendoff for Affleck’s version of the character. Not only did he have a great Batman action sequence at the beginning of the film, but his scene with Barry in which he outlines how his trauma makes him a hero is some of the best writing Batman has received in the DCEU.

What further bolstered this was Affleck putting in a great performance which helped to solidify his Flash appearance as a more than fitting sendoff. Affleck even admitted that he finally figured out how to play Batman/Bruce Wayne the best in The Flash in what was a cruel stroke of irony given it was his final appearance in the franchise. All of this means that Ben Affleck’s Batman role in The Flash is arguably better than anything else other DCEU projects could provide of late, making his absence in Aquaman 2 a good thing.

Aquaman 2 Would Struggle To Give Ben Affleck’s Batman A Fitting Ending

Furthermore, Aquaman 2 is a story that would likely struggle to fit Ben Affleck’s Batman in and give him a fitting ending as a result. The underwater, otherworldly, more fantastical elements of the Aquaman universe do not fit Batman as much as the world of The Flash does, meaning Affleck’s appearance may have seemed more like fanservice than integral to the plot. This extends to Bruce’s relationship with both characters in the DCEU. His dynamic with Arthur is certainly entertaining, yet they do not have as close a connection as Bruce and Barry, again meaning that Batman’s appearance would have felt forced rather than earned like it was in The Flash.

Also, keeping Aquaman 2 self-contained will also benefit the film. Having Affleck in the film may have further muddled the already-confusing DC timeline amid the impending DCU reboot. In having Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom be a standalone adventure without other DCEU characters like Batman, the film can satisfyingly end this iteration of the franchise without confusing, lingering plot threads like Affleck’s appearance that would have also made his future more unclear.

Why Ben Affleck’s Batman Didn’t Work Out For The DCEU

Finally, it is worth exploring why Ben Affleck’s iteration did not work out. As alluded to, Affleck was not to blame for the majority of these issues with the actor always providing good performances and commitment regardless of the film he was part of. In reality, it was the mishandling of the franchise by Warner Bros. that failed Affleck’s Batman. The negative reaction to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice saw WB drastically change the state of the franchise, moving away from Snyder’s vision and causing a schism that meant the storyline was split between what was established by Snyder and what was desired by studio executives.

This negatively impacted Affleck’s tenure as Batman as he was originally intended to be part of his own solo film and two Justice League sequels amid any other plans he and Snyder had for the character. Not only did Affleck lose out on future appearances, but also a directorial credit with his planned Batman film. This led to his subsequent phasing out of the franchise, with Warner Bros. increasingly unclear with what the plan was as the studio juggled Affleck, Pattinson, and more recently Keaton’s Batmen with a lack of direction. With all this disappointment in mind, Affleck’s absence from Aquaman 2 can only be seen as a positive.