Ben Affleck Fires Back At Batman Fans About His Casting

Ben Affleck knows you aren’t crazy about him being cast as the Caped Crusader in Zack Snyder’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. But he has been through this before (Gigli), and it seems to have made him (Jersey Girl) stronger as a result.

As part of their coverage of David Fincher’s Gone Girl, EW got a chance to interview Ben Affleck in the middle of his filming on Snyder’s superhero epic. "It’s a process that I’ll probably have better perspective on when I’m done," Affleck tells the mag. "Batman’s obviously got a set of expectations that are tough. So I spent a lot of time working out." He also understands that with the acceptance of these choice roles comes an instant backlash that’s likely unavoidable. So Affleck, taking the high road, tells EW that he just has to trust in the creative support system Snyder has put in place for Batman v. Superman -- and roll with the punches. Affleck notes:

Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. I wouldn’t have taken the part if I didn’t trust my instincts in terms of the filmmaking. I think Chris Terrio wrote a terrific script. Zack’s a great visual director. And there’s an interesting take. I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t think I could do it. I have the benefit of a lot of that understanding. But also, everyone is entitled to their opinion. That’s a big part of this international sport."

You see? Ben Affleck understands the Internet. Here, let him explain how it works, in case you are completely new to the ways of 2014. (This clip is NSFW, for so many reasons.)

Which means Ben Affleck was prepared for crap like this.

I really wish Ben Affleck had more to say in the interview. He really doesn’t. He tells a story he has told before about Warner Bros. warning him about fan outrage. And Affleck’s all, "Did you see Daredevil? Bro, I invented fan outrage!" He can let the movie do the talking when it opens … 20 months from now. Oof. We have a long way to go.

Sean O'Connell
Managing Editor

Sean O’Connell is a journalist and CinemaBlend’s Managing Editor. Having been with the site since 2011, Sean interviewed myriad directors, actors and producers, and created ReelBlend, which he proudly cohosts with Jake Hamilton and Kevin McCarthy. And he's the author of RELEASE THE SNYDER CUT, the Spider-Man history book WITH GREAT POWER, and an upcoming book about Bruce Willis.