Lacey Bridges
“Phantoms” may be ‘the bomb’, but Ben Affleck is not one to promise anyone anything – -as both Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Garner may attest. And that’s especially true when it comes to future projects – the Oscar Winning writer always smart to play cryptic with writers searching for a scoop on a future project.
Ever since it was testified that Affleck would reprise his “Batman v. Superman” hero for a solo film, one which he’d also write and direct, the media have been leapfrogging each other in the hopes of getting the scoop on when the film will start, where it’s currently at, what it’ll fix on, and who the Caped Crusader will both bash (sounds like Deathstroke, played by Joe Manganiello) and bonk (no word on a possible love interest yet) in the movie.
To many a Batfan’s excitement, Affleck declared a couple of weeks ago that the script for “The Batman” was near done and that they were looking to put it before the cameras shortly.
Now, however, he’s singing a different tune – or so the media wants us to believe.
In a new interview with The Guardian, Affleck seemingly takes a leak on the hot project by suggesting it mightn’t even happen.
“If it doesn’t come together in a way I think is really great I’m not going to do it.”
So, what’s happened? What’s changed his mind about doing the picture?
Firstly, he never said he wasn’t doing it. Not once. He’s simply playing it cooler than he did in the previous interview and saying what any other actor or filmmaker would and should – that if the project doesn’t all come together in the best way, he’ll let it go. Makes sense.
Also, because he knows exactly what us internet scoop mongers are like – we’ll jump all over anything he says – he’s playing it coquettish. If Affleck had said “we might start in May…”, we’d soon see the web reporting “Batman filming in May. Official.” As a consequence of that, and likely some negotiations that are still ongoing (it could be Affleck is holding out for a better deal before he agrees to ‘announce’ more), the actor cum filmmaker has forced us all to take a step back. It gives him some time, and much needed pause, to get things in order before the official announcement.
Affleck is still our Batman.
