Ben Affleck's Batman movie is very much in a state of turmoil. Late last month, Affleck announced he would be stepping down as the blockbuster's director. Then it was revealed that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League writer Chris Terrio had been brought on to rewrite portions of the script originally drafted by Affleck and DC Entertainment president Geoff Johns. Then last night, a report from Forbes emerged about how the Batman movie could end up being fully rewritten, calling it a "fresh start" once the new creative team is assembled. However, as far as the script issues go, it may not be that bad, as Warner Bros reportedly already has their hands on the story.
Earlier today, Batman-News.com asked Variety reporter Justin Kroll on Twitter if there was any truth to the rumors about the Batman movie being "redone from scratch." This was Kroll's response:
So if this latest update is to be believed, Ben Affleck and Toby Emmerich, one of the bigwigs over at Warner Bros, are pleased with how the Batman movie's script is at the moment, and there aren't any rewrites in store. Of course, that doesn't guarantee that the script won't be changed at some point later down the line. Even with Affleck staying on as Gotham City's protector and producer, whomever is hired as the new director may want to make some alterations, but that doesn't necessarily mean there will be an entire overhaul. Still, it will be a while until we learn exactly what's going on with the movie's development.
Plot details about Ben Affleck's Batman movie were scarce even when the actor was still attached to direct. Besides Jeremy Irons and J.K. Simmons reprising Alfred Pennyworth and Commissioner James Gordon, all that's been confirmed is that the Dark Knight will be battling Slade Wilson, a.k.a. Deathstroke, played by Joe Manganiello. Yesterday's Forbes report also mentioned that The Joker and several other members of the Caped Crusader's rogues gallery were supposed to appear, which had been previously rumored through the inclusion of Arkham Asylum. It's unclear how many of these elements will be retained in the Batman movie that's eventually released to the masses.
The Batman movie's behind-the-scenes complications are just the latest problems the DC Extended Universe has been dealing with of late. The Flash has lost two directors within a year, and now the movie is undergoing a page-one rewrite from Joby Harold. As it stands now, neither the Caped Crusader nor the Scarlet Speedster's movies are guaranteed to come out in 2018, leaving Aquaman as that year's only DC release right now. Still, when it comes to giving audiences a good story, it's better to take the time to fix any issues than rush out an imperfect product.
You can see Ben Affleck don the cape and cowl again when Justice League hits theaters on November 17.
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