Lacey Bridges
Ben Affleck is me at Christmas.
He doesn’t want you knowing what he’s got for you until that very last moment.
This week my sister asked if I’d bought her a present yet, because she had an idea for one. “Maybe”, I replied. “Well, do you?”. “I could have”, I cheekily responded, smirking as I tried to escape the conversation. “What is it!?” she excitedly demanded to know.
I said nothing. I knew nothing. I have nothing. I mightn’t have even had a chance to go to Pandora yet.
Last week Ben Affleck said his solo ‘Batman’ movie – the one he’s set to star in, produce and direct – was a long ways off. From the sounds of it, he didn’t even have a smidge of a good script yet.
Today, while talking to Variety, the “Live by Night” star said otherwise – suggesting he’s been telling porky pies for a while now.
“We’re on the right track with that and everything is coming together,” Affleck said. “We’re still finishing up a script. I’m very excited.”
According to Affleck, they even have a start date (or close enough to) : next Spring.
“The Batman” – as it might be titled – will see Affleck’s Caped Crusader clash heads with Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke.
Okay, two big guys clashing… sold. Well, kinda.
As much as I enjoyed Affleck’s Batman, I have to say… I’m still nowhere near excited to see more of him. Maybe it’s the weak narratives they’ve placed his Batman in so far (Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad) or maybe it’s the fact that we’re still not quite over Christian Bale’s Brucie boy? Whatever the case, the film doesn’t feel, to me, like it’s earnt it’s stripes yet.
What it has going for it though, where “Suicide Squad” and “Batman v. Superman” didn’t, is Affleck. Affleck has really proved himself to be quite the moviemaker the past couple of years, and everything he helms is usually very, very solid. I’ve also read he refuses to make “The Batman” just to meet a release date – “it’ll be done, when it’s done” – which is music to the ears of those whose purses are now twenty dollars lighter after “Dawn of Justice.”
So, tell us Ben, what have you got for us!?
ain
