So, Ben Affleck is Batman. Outrage, shock, reason, pity and acceptance, it was the 5 stages of actor casting that geeks and fans go through. However, after thinking about it for a bit, I have hope, a new hope to spark images of another franchise that will announce casting news very soon. Don’t panic over Ben Affleck as Batman here’s why.
It’s not Ryan Reynolds
One bad superhero movie is forgivable. Ryan Reynolds has his with Green Lantern or R.I.P.D. He was forgettable in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but when you factor in Reynolds’ overall work if feels like Hollywood is trying to force a superhero on us, rather than it being organic.
He’s kind of like George Clooney, who was tried to fit the suit, but didn’t fit the personality. It is quite ironic the Clooney thing, given that Batman is involved.
Superhero History
Good news: Affleck played a superhero. Bad news: It was as Daredevil in Daredevil. The good news is that Daredevil was so all around awful it can’t be placed on his shoulders. The movie was horrible on every level, except for the costumes on Jennifer Garner.
Previous roles
Since Gigli and Daredevil, Affleck laid low and did some quality films like Argo and The Town. Granted he did some cheesy rom-coms, but they’re expendable.
James Bond parallels
In 2006 the British press was yelling about “James Blond” when Daniel Craig was announced as the new James Bond. I hoped that Jason Statham got the part because I loved him so much in The Transporter. A James Bond that is athletic; knows martial arts and shaves his head, that’s a 007 I can get behind.
Three movies into Craigs’s films and he’s the best Bond ever. Sure all of the other Bonds have their generational moments, Moore was the cheesiest, Connery was good and Brosnan was OK. But Craig was the first to take Bond from being a good Bond movie to a good movie.
At the end of the day, it’s about the script
I wasn’t too excited about The Man of Steel. Who is this Henry Cavil character and why do we need another Superman movie? It’s not that I was too loyal to Christopher Reeve, I just didn’t’ see the need for another Superman movie.
Was The Man of Steel a good movie because Superman Returns so very bad? That may play into it a little bit, but Man of Steel was very good.
If the script for the new Superman/Batman movie is good, then Affleck will be good. I have reservations about it being Superman Vs. Batman because that will just be tired and lame with geeks choosing side a la Team Anniston and Team Jolie.
With luck the writers of the new movie will pick up the eggs that they dropped in Man of Steel and craft a story that can bring the two heroes together.
I saw a funny image today about the offices at Marvel Comics today and they were bent over laughing at the casting news. That was very funny. I hope that the casting folks over at DC saw something that the rest of us either may not be seeing or have reservations about.
Write a great scrip a fabulous movie will happen DC; otherwise we’ll be waiting 20 more years for that Justice League movie.
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I’ve been more surprised at all of the shock…Ben Affleck came to our attention in one of my favorite films, ‘Good Will Hunting’ and while he has had some bombs, geez, who hasn’t? Like you said…then he did Argo and The Town, both really good films. I sort of like the guy and the more crap I hear about people being upset about the choice, the more I’m pulling for him!
Exactly, we’re pulling for and the ‘thought’ of making fun of Gigli is more fun than making fun of it. Sure the movie and Bennifer was horrible, but he’s done lots since then.
Hopefully it will work out. Personally, Christian Bale was my fave.