I spend a lot of time keeping up with the 2026 movie schedule and all the upcoming superhero movies, but Jennifer Garner left me thinking about a Batman production from a decade ago. The actress recently shared a fond memory involving Ben Affleck, Ina Garten and an unforgettable family trip to Paris. I love that the Caped Crusader barely scratches the surface of what made it so special.
During a conversation on Happy Hour with Ina Garten, the 13 Going on 30 actress recalled taking her children overseas while Affleck was filming in London. Apparently, the comic book movie production provided the perfect excuse to get out of town for a while. Garner explained:
When my kids were little, I went to Paris. Ben was shooting some Batman-ish movie in London, and we went for six weeks. I took them out of school. It was the last time I really took kids out of school, but it was wonderful. It was incredible. It was so fun.
I recently revisited Affleck and Garner's time making Daredevil together, so hearing her describe his later superhero blockbuster as some "Batman-ish movie" is especially funny. I imagine Affleck had a few more specific words for the project, but I appreciate Garner remembers the family adventure rather than whatever Bruce Wayne was getting up to at the time.
Her timing also helps identify the film. While Justice League arrived in theaters in 2017, Affleck and the production spent months filming in London the previous year. Reports from that April confirmed that Garner and their three children planned to stay in the U.K. during production. By May, the family had also been spotted vacationing in Paris. So, despite the wonderfully vague description, Justice League appears to be our Batman-ish culprit.
There's a bittersweet wrinkle to the timeline. Garner and Affleck announced their separation in 2015, before the trip, and officially filed for divorce in 2017. Their divorce was finalized the following year. That makes this a particularly sweet memory of their family life during a complicated period. The two have maintained a close co-parenting relationship since, with Garner recently praising Affleck for helping care for their children while she works.
Apparently, we have Ina Garten to thank for one of Garner's favorite memories from the trip. With her youngest son, Samuel, only 4 at the time, Garner shared photos of the kids with Garten, who suggested they take a boat ride along the Seine. Really, who am I to argue with the Barefoot Contessa about how to spend an afternoon in Paris?
Garner recalled cruising down the river as the city began lighting up around them, and the experience stuck with her. She's since made a point of doing it whenever she returns to Paris, and looking back at those original photos still reminds her of how happy the kids were. She told Garten that her suggestion made the whole thing "such an adventure." I love that something as simple as taking a boat ride became one of those family memories she keeps coming back to.
Garten's Paris recommendations didn't stop there. Years later, when Garner returned with her eldest daughter Violet, she texted her friend for another round of suggestions. This time Garten sent them to a handbag boutique, a cheese shop, a specialty food market and a restaurant specializing in soufflés. Violet apparently enjoyed the itinerary so much that she retraced their steps while studying abroad. Now I'm wondering how I get Ina Garten's number before my next vacation.
I like hearing Garner speak so fondly about those days, especially knowing what was happening in her personal life at the time. It also makes me wonder how many wonderful family memories get made while Hollywood's biggest productions happen in the background.
Affleck might have been busy bringing his take on The Dark Knight to life; his wife and kids were apparently having an adventure all their own. Something tells me those Paris photographs mean a whole lot more to her than another superhero movie ever could.
