Comic Book Films & TV

[Colly]

"But what do I know, its only been my life enjoying these comics?" is an amazing question.

[apsham]

I've never seen that skin used for EWB. Which version was it?

It's not EWB - it's the net in general.

[Sousa]

I've got to take GoGo's position here. Go Team Schadenfreude!

[SeanDMan]

They should have Matt Damon play Bruce Wayne and just have Ben Affleck play the part of Batman.

[TKz]

I mean, it's not bad casting, but it's not really interesting either? It just feels really safe, I guess. I'd be more confident in it if this was closer to a cinematic genius like Nolan bringing in a smaller name, because I've got plenty of faith that he knows what we're doing and probably knows something we don't. That he's seen something from the actor that made him say "This is my Batman". But I have approximately zero faith in Snyder, despite liking Man of Steel. It all seems a lot more like Warner cast Affleck because they want him as one of their guys, the fact that he's progressed to be a pretty decent actor was just an afterthought.

I guess I'm cautiously interested? I dunno. I don't buy Ben Affleck as a seasoned crime fighter. I wanted Brolin because he does well playing roles where they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. I thought he'd make not just a great Batman, but a great Bruce Wayne, too. Closer to the comics where the billionaire playboy part isn't really a factor, that's just a face for the public.

Also Batman Vs. Superman is still a terrible title and concept for a film. A team up can have elements of them fighting, Worlds Finest was such a better title and concept. Does anyone really want to see a full 2 hours of Batman holding up a green rock and followed by Superman just beating the shit out of him? The most interesting part of Justice League is the relationship between Batman and Superman. I have a hard time caring at all about a fight between the two.

[GoGo Yubari]

This is not safe casting and the fan tantrums have proven as much.

[Your Mom]

Ben Affleck as Batman, yo.

He'd have been a better choice to direct it than act in it but he's not a bad choice for what they were looking for.

I actually really like Affleck, but that is terrible casting from what I've seen of his range. I'm hoping this is a Ledger thing, where we're all assuming the worst and he'll blow us away, but I'm not holding my breath.

I think I'm even more let down by the fact it's not Karl Urban. The second I heard rumours about him, I knew he was who I wanted as the new Bruce Wayne.

Man! I forgot about Karl Urban. That would have been pretty amazing

[Your Mom]

http://www.newsarama.com/18750-why-ben-affleck-is-brilliant-casting-as-batman.html

This has me hopeful. I wasnt exactly upset about it in the first place but now I think it could be pretty great

[LL!]

Alright. I've been able to sleep on this news and really ponder what's bugging me about this.

Ben Affleck has improved a hell of a lot since he settled down and had a family. He's matured and he's been very smart when it comes to picking roles and ESPECIALLY picking movies to direct. (Although Runner Runner doesn't look all that great, but I'm sure he'll be great in it.) He's even shown some more range in Argo. But let's not forget that he was behind Argo. I really think that Ben Affleck is at his best when he's behind the camera. And that leads us to the problem.

Even though I've gained so much faith in Ben Affleck and he's garnered much good will from me, there's still that slight stigma. There's still that nagging feeling that only a few years ago, Ben Affleck was the guy who did Gigli, Daredevil, Paycheck, and Reindeer Games. Though Affleck wasn't all that great in them there's another issue with those movies. Three of those movies came from directors that were once considered to be great. And the other was the hack that went on to make Ghost Rider. So, at one point Ben Affleck was paired with great directors and still couldn't get it done. And therein lies my issue here: FUCK Zack Snyder.

I admit that I still haven't seen Man of Steel, but it didn't look all that great to me, and from everything I've read, most of my worries happened to come true. I will watch Man of Steel when I get a free chance at it, but until then I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna like it and a lot of it has to do with a director that gladly covers his shortcomings as a character developer with pretty colors and flashes. That is not the director that Ben Affleck deserves or needs.

In short, my problem isn't so much with Ben Affleck as it is the people behind the film and how I don't trust them. Whereas someone like Karl Urban or Josh Brolin would have had the gravitas needed to be able to overcome the shortcomings of someone like Snyder.

Meanwhile, Boston Batman is hilarious to me and I'll keep enjoying writing Southie Batman quotes on Twitter.

[Benji]

I feel like it's important to remind people - it could have been worse. Ashton Kutcher was a name rumoured for Bats/Bruce back before Christian Bale was cast just under ten years ago (also, how weird is it that it's just two or three weeks to the decade that the news Bale had been cast was announced?).

[Kaney]

I'm not ragging on it at all, but why is everyone really fond of Karl Urban? The only things I've seen him in are Doom and Dredd and I wouldn't say he was an amazing acting talent in either of them. I like the guy, just wondered if he's had some sort of awesome stand out role I should see or something.

[LL!]

The thing with Karl Urban isn't so much that he's a great actor, though, his work as Bones in Star Trek is quite fun. It's that he has the sort of gravitas for the character that is Batman, and Ben Affleck doesn't. Ben Affleck would need some great direction in order to pull off Batman (not Bruce Wayne, he can be fine as Bruce Wayne.) Karl Urban would have the presence as Batman that Ben Affleck couldn't unless there were more talented people behind the camera that can pull it off.

[Kaney]

Ah, fair enough so.

[Hailtothechimp]

I'm not ragging on it at all, but why is everyone really fond of Karl Urban? The only things I've seen him in are Doom and Dredd and I wouldn't say he was an amazing acting talent in either of them. I like the guy, just wondered if he's had some sort of awesome stand out role I should see or something.

Urban was also Eomer in Lord of the Rings. Not saying it was stand-out or anything, but it is another thing he was in.

I'm a bit on the fence about Affleck though. He has come a long way as an actor and I'm willing to give this the benefit of the doubt, but I have a lot of reservations. As it has already been said, I'm not sure he can pull off the pressence required to be a convincing Batman.

[Josh]

[GA!]

I think DC hired Ben Affleck to be their Robert Downey Jr, a bankable star who will help elevate the rest of their universe as they head into a Justice League film. I'm sure Affleck will be a good Batman, even though we're not in the fucking 90s anymore.

However the decision shows DC has no idea what the fuck they're doing. Man of Steel earns $650 worldwide? That's not Marvel money, better use Batman to prop Superman up. Batman has one of the most profitable and critically acclaimed trilogies of all time? Better attach a big name to replace Bale in case that audience doesn't come back. Shouldn't we develop some of our other, lesser known characters before Justice League like Marvel did with Iron Man and Thor? Nah. Wonder Woman has a vagina so it's impossible to make a solo film about her anyway.

And like LL said, fuck Zack Snyder. He's the worst director in Hollywood today. At least Michael Bay knows he makes crap.

[Skummy]

It doesn't help, also, that DC don't have the dedicated film division that Marvel has - or not to the best of my knowledge, at least. They're having to rely on the film company that owns the rights, rather than having anything like the executive control that Marvel are allowed to play around with.

[livid]

That and their lack of a guy like Kevin Feige to oversee everything doesn't help either.

[=BK=]

Totally random but I hope the new Batsuit has the white eyes.

[EWB's Best Poster.]

I don't know why they need affleck when they already have the best guy for the job.

Pure West.