At the recent set visit for the upcoming Justice League film, Batman actor Ben Affleck shared some information regarding his upcoming DC Extended Universe film, rumored to be titled The Batman. Affleck will be directing Batman’s first solo film since Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, and is co-writing the script with comic book superstar writer Geoff Johns.
Warner Bros. has an untitled DC film slated for October 2018, as well as another untitled “event film” scheduled for Christmas Day 2018, so it would seem that WB is hoping for the solo Batman film to hit one of those two dates. Historically, Batman films are usually released as summer blockbusters. Affleck commented on the release date saying:
“I think they have a date for it, although I don’t know if I’d necessarily be able to make that date because I don’t have a script that’s ready yet…I’m not going to make a movie until there’s a script I think is good. Because I’ve been on the end of the things when you make movies when you have a script that’s not good yet, and it doesn’t pan out.”
There is also an untitled DC Film slated for November 2019, but with Affleck already talking about rewrites in mid-2016 and the overall positive reception of Affleck’s portrayal of the Dark Knight, it’s unlikely that WB will want to wait that long to put out the solo Batman film.
Affleck is also an executive producer on Justice League because “there are some things that might happen in my Batman (movie) that are affected by (Justice League).” There were early rumors that the solo Batman film might take place before the events of both Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and could tell the story of how Robin (who’s suit is seen in the Batcave in Batman v Superman) was murdered by Jared Leto’s Joker. This quote from Affleck however, seems to indicate that the solo Batman film will most likely take place after the events of Justice League.
Ben Affleck’s recent work as a director were in the critically acclaimed Argo (2012) and The Town (2010). Affleck’s Batman can next been seen in Suicide Squad on August 5th.