Ben Affleck As Batman? Why He’s The Perfect Choice For The Role

There is a lot of Ben Affleck hate going around at this very moment. Fans of the first Man Of Steel are claiming that Zack Snyder has lost his mind in casting Affleck as Batman. Many fans of the Superman franchise are still pointing a finger at Affleck’s Gigli and Forces of Nature days while overlooking his brilliant turn as George Reeves in Hollywoodland and his directing/acting talents in the superbly drafted movies The Town and Argo.

Over the last decade Ben Affleck has grown into a Hollywood heavyweight who knows his way around the camera lens. Yes, his last turn as a superhero in Daredevil was flawed, but let’s be honest: The script was horrible, and Mark Steven Johnson directed that movie into a black hole of awfulness.

ln many ways, Affleck is perfect for the Batman role. He has chiseled facial features, broad shoulders, good height at 6 foot 4 inches, and just the overall Batman physique and look of Batman in general. Plus, Affleck isn’t yet another young Hollywood star being forced upon us because of his “hot” looks that appeal to women. That’s not to say Affleck has lost his looks; he’s just more mature and commands a different type of respect those young Hollywood up and comers can’t match. I personally couldn’t buy a young playboy version of Batman, and that’s why Michael Keaton did so great with the role. He played Batman as an established and smart businessman whose experience and patience lends itself to fighting crime.

If nothing else, Ben Affleck is becoming a pro at playing deeply conflicted characters. In The Town, Affleck develops a conscious but must still take part in a crime for which he doesn’t agree. In Argo, his character is forced to choose between his direct orders from the US Government and his own feelings of possibly betrayal for the people he has promised to protect and save. Affleck has become a pro at creating deep layers of conflict and no superhero is more conflicted than Batman.

Speaking about his decision to cast Ben Affleck as Batman, director Zack Snyder tells Deadline:

“Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman. He 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. I can’t wait to work with him.”

So will Ben Affleck’s turn as Batman be heralded or hated? It looks like we will have to wait until Man of Steel 2 debuts in 2015 to find out.

I personally believe Ben Affleck will be a great Batman, so you can feel free to yell at me in our comments section all you want.