Andy Rain/European Pressphoto Agency Ben AffleckThe fanboy corner of the Internet collectively fainted late Thursday when Warner Brothers put an end to wild casting rumors and said that Ben Affleck would play Batman in a “Man of Steel†sequel.
The still-untitled movie, planned for summer 2015, will mark the first time that Batman and Superman have co-starred on the big screen - an effort by Warner to create a rival to the “Avengers†franchise, which features multiple Marvel superheroes. In a statement, Zack Snyder, who directed “Man of Steel†and will return for the sequel, said Mr. Affleck, 41, has “the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter.†Henry Cavill, 30, will return as Superman.
Taking on Batman swings Mr. Affleck back toward blockbusters, at least to a degree, after a stretch in which he has focused on acting in self-directed dramas like “Argo,†which won the best picture trophy at the Academy Awards. Accepting the role does come with one big downside, however. Mr. Affleck may be forced to relive a particularly awkward career moment: In 2003 he played the title role in “Daredevil,†one of Hollywood’s least-successful superhero films.
By announcing the casting Warner silenced reports that the studio offered Christian Bale, who played Batman in the recently concluded “Dark Knight†trilogy, $50 million to reprise the role for the sequel to “Man of Steel.†The first film took in about $650 million worldwide.
