Lacey Bridges
After several days of speculation and unyielding chinese whispers about the production, “The Batman” has found it’s new director.
Matt Reeves, best known for “Cloverfield” and “War for the Planet of the Apes”, has committed to directing the superhero blockbuster. The filmmaker, mentioned a week or so ago as high on a list of potential directors being eyed to replace departing director Ben Affleck, still has to do his deal but his anointment is obviously concrete enough to leak to the trades.
Affleck, who remains onboard as star and producer of the WB flick, left the project because, he stated, he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to satisfactorily wear multiple hats on the movie.
Filming on “The Batman” was due to start in May but with the switcheroos it’ll likely be pushed back to give the exhausted Affleck some time to rest before the thing begins, and a chance for Reeves to finish post and do some press on “Apes” before it hits theaters in July.
Meantime, rumours suggesting Joe Manganiello has left the project – in which he’s been attached to play the villain Deathstroke – for a part in Dwayne Johnson’s “Rampage” seem to be unfounded. While on a podcast this week, the former “True Blood” actor said he’s been doing a lot of research for the movie and has dived head-first into fight training.
This week word hit that the script for “The Batman” – which was to feature Deathstroke, as well as several other Bat-villains like The Joker – was going to be completely written, so it remains to be seen whether Manganiello will remain the film’s main antagonist.
