How Much Is Batfleck Actually In The Flash? His Honest Thoughts

Ben Affleck as Batman in Suicide Squad
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

It’s no secret that the superhero genre is a massively powerful force in the entertainment industry. There are a number of shared universes currently fighting for box office supremacy, including the DC Universe. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming DC movies is definitely Andy Muschietti’s The Flash, which is expected to be a timeline-altering adventure that’ll feature multiple versions of Batman. But how much is Batfleck actually in the upcoming movie? The Oscar-winning filmmaker shared his honest thoughts.

The DCEU was started by filmmaker Zack Snyder, who introduced Ben Affleck as the official Bruce Wayne of the universe in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The upcoming Flash movie will feature the return of Batfleck, but will also include Michael Keaton’s version of the Dark Knight. Affleck recently spoke to THR about his time as Gotham’s Protector, saying:

Yeah, I did finally figure out how to play that character [Batman], and I nailed it in The Flash. For the five minutes I’m there, it’s really great. A lot of it’s just tone. You’ve got to figure out, what’s your version of the person? Who is the guy that fits what you can do? I tried to fit myself into a Batman. And by the way, I like a lot of the stuff we did, especially the first one [Batman v Superman].

This is definitely intriguing. While Ben Affleck is seemingly happy with what he brought to Batman in the Flash movie, it doesn’t seem like he’s going to get all that much screen time. While it’s also possible that the actor/writer/director/producer is joking or exaggerating, this is sure to inspire even more questions about that mysterious blockbuster. 

Ben Affleck’s comments to THR come from a larger conversation about his life and career, including his years playing Batman in the DCEU. Moviegoers are extremely curious about how The Flash is going to play out, especially regarding the multiple versions of Batman that are at play. Both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck are present in the movie’s trailers, although Affleck doesn’t seem to think he has a particularly large role in the long-awaited movie.

The Flash

Ezra Miller as Barry Allen in The Flash

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Director: Andy Muschietti 

Writer: Christina Hodson

Cast: Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck, Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon, Kiersey Clemons 

Release Date/Platform: June 16th in theaters.

This is yet another reason why The Flash continues to be one of the biggest question marks in the DC Universe. Aside from its mysterious contents, there was a time when fans were worried it would ever be released. Namely thanks to a series of controversies and legal issues by star Ezra Miller. And since they play two different forms of Barry Allen in The Flash, it’s not like the studio could do reshoots or use some clever visual effects to remove them.

It looks like The Flash has the potential to be Ben Affleck’s final bow as Batman in the DCEU. He already clarified that he has no interest in directing a movie for James Gunn and company. And if the Suicide Squad filmmaker has new plans for the Dark Knight, we could see someone else take on the mantle. After all, Henry Cavill is officially out as Superman.

The Flash is currently expected to arrive in theaters on June 16th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.