Seriously, I do not know what to make of the DC Films and Warner Bros. strategy. Grab a pen and paper. OK, the world of “Batman V Superman,” “Wonder Woman” and “Suicide Squad”? That’s one timeline and one extended universe (the DCEU). But there are two films apparently coming that are going to live outside of the extended universe. One of them is a Joker origin story that won’t star Jared Leto (something gritty, like an early Martin Scorsese film) and the other is Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” film which was revealed to be a stand-alone movie that also exists outside of the current continuity.
READ MORE: Matt Reeves Says ‘The Batman’ Is “A Standalone, It’s Not Part Of The Extended Universe”
How is that supposed to work when you have Ben Affleck as The Batman in one timeline and Ben Affleck as The Batman in another timeline that doesn’t exist with “The Justice League”?
Well, it won’t work that way because Ben Affleck won’t be in it. At least, not according to THR. The news was buried in their story about the upcoming Joker and Harley Quinn movie from the directors of “Crazy Stupid Love.” Seems like a really strange thing to just bury in a news story, honestly, even though that was kind of the rumor floating around. Here’s what THR says:
Matt Reeves’ The Batman, for example, is intended to not be connected to the Justice League universe but to be set in a different time period and star another actor.
This makes pretty much zero fucking sense (frustration level rising) because Ben Affleck at Comic Con recently raved about Matt Reeves as a director, and side-stepped the stories of his Batman departure by fawning over the filmmaker and basically suggesting the movie that he would star in, but no longer direct was in perfect hands.
READ MORE: WTF? Martin Scorsese Is Making A Joker Movie With Todd Phillips
Fake news, Ben Affleck? Let’s face it, Ben Affleck is leaving the Batman role, it’s just a matter of when, but at Comic Con the actor said he had two films left on his contract which includes the upcoming “Justice League” and then what was presumed to be “The Batman,” but who knows what the hell is going on anymore.
So, here we are. Matt Reeves is making a Batman movie and apparently Ben Affleck won’t be in it. Look, I have a strong editorial, project management and brand strategy background on top of writing about stupid super hero movies and I will work for free to make my headache stop, Warner Bros. You know where to find me.
Update from THR. Faker news?. “Aug. 23, 6:40 p.m. An earlier version of this story stated that Matt Reeves’ The Batman was part of Warner Bros.’ new label and would star a new actor as Batman, but it is unclear where that project will fall.”
I’m going to bed. [THR]
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