Ben Affleck Will Be the New Batman

Who broke the Batman casting news?

Variety's Justin Kroll broke the news superhero fans had been waiting for — Ben Affleck will be the new Batman!

What did Warner Bros. say?

On August 22, 2013, Warner Bros. officially announced that Affleck would star as Batman, a.k.a. Bruce Wayne, opposite Henry Cavill's Superman in Zack Snyder's untitled Man of Steel sequel — the first-ever onscreen match-up of DC Comics' two most iconic characters. The studio slated the film to open worldwide on July 17, 2015.

"We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics' most enduringly popular Super Heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some," WB president Greg Silverman said in a statement.

Official DC press release

Who played Batman before?

Michael Keaton, George Clooney, and Christian Bale have previously played Batman. Christian Bale has been the most memorable Batman and George Clooney the worst — it's hard to imagine whether anybody could be Bruce Wayne other than Bale. Big shoes for Affleck to fill!

Who is directing?

Zack Snyder, the director of Man of Steel — which grossed over $650 million worldwide — will direct the sequel. Snyder said Affleck "has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne."

This movie is a sequel to Man of Steel. Superhero fans had been eagerly waiting for a movie featuring both superheroes — it will be epic to see the face-off between the two. Henry Cavill will play Superman — he has been the most adorable and handsome Superman of all.

What happened next?

The film became Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which was delayed to March 25, 2016. Affleck went on to play Batman in Justice League (2017) and The Flash (2023).