Ben Affleck explains why he quit Batman

Hello darkness my old friend. The day after we got the news that Jared Leto is probably never going to pay the Joker again, Ben Affleck has said his last goodbye to Batman, on The Jimmy Kimmel Show.

We’re going to need to buy waterproof clown make-up soon, what we’ve all the crying we’re doing at the moment.

Asked about the recent confirmation that he would no longer play the character, Affleck said: “I tried to direct a version of it, I worked with a really good screenwriter, but I couldn’t crack it. And so I thought it was time for someone else to take a shot at it, and they’ve got really good people.”

Okay, so that sounds like someone explaining why they’re not going to direct Batman anymore, as opposed to why they’re not playing him, and it’s basically what Affleck’s been saying for years now, but whatever.

Kimmel then offered Affleck the chance to give a final statement on the character. This felt like a pre-written ‘bit’ – the camera zoomed in on the actor, and he looked directly at it, to say, “I’m not Batman” …in his normal voice.

Now, this would have worked INFINITELY better if Affleck had delivered the line in his Batman voice, that’s clearly what the show’s directors would have wanted, but if Affleck can’t even be bothered to do that, then that’s probably a better final statement on his time as the character as anything else.

Still, let’s not end this on a down-note, Affleck was a great Batman in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, his turn in Suicide Squad was massively underrated, and we’re not going to mention Justice League out of respect. We just wish we had seen his potential realised in a decent movie.

And the future’s bright for the character, with Matt Reeves on the hunt for Ben’s replacement right now.

So, bye bye Batfleck, don’t let the door hit you on your Bat-butt on the way out.

Read more
Ben Affleck steps down as Batman
Jared Leto may never play the Joker again
Ewan Mcgregor in talks to play Batman villain Black Mask