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Ben Affleck has received the most acclaim as an actor for portraying ordinary individuals in exceptional situations. Films likeGone Girl, The Company Men,The Way Back, The Tender Bar,Changing Lanes, andTo the Wondershowcase his talent in such roles.
More than these films, the actor was a worthy addition to the actors who played the iconic character — Batman.
Besides acting, he’s an exceptional director, too. He ventured into directing in 2007 with his debut film,Gone Baby Gone, which was one of the year’s best films — even compared toMystic RiverandThe Departed.Affleck achieved a significant artistic milestone by directingArgo, which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, marking one of the highest achievements in his directing career.
His second movie,The Town,was also a critical hit. But in 2010, thePaycheckactor confirmed that he turned down the opportunity to directMan of Steel. At the time, he was unaware that the film referred to asUntitled Superman Reboot(originally) would serve as the starting point for a franchise in which he would later play a major role.
Also read:“We fell prey to this idea”: Not Leaving Batman, Ben Affleck Took a Major Decision With Best Friend Matt Damon That Risked Both Their Careers After Early Success With Robin Williams
Why Did Ben Affleck Decline the Opportunity to Direct the DC Movie?
Ben Affleckhas already proven himself an incredible director with just five films. During a Q&A with Deadline in November 2010 (viaMTV) (just a month after Zack Snyder took the helm ofMan of Steel), he shared his reasons for declining the opportunity:
“The one benefit of having done all kinds of movies as an actor is, you learn the pros and cons of being tempted to do a really big movie because it costs a lot of money. With Superman, I think they’re going to do a great version. [Producer] Chris Nolan is brilliant and they’ve got a great director for it. I’d love to do something like Blade Runner, but a lesson I’ve learned is to not look at movies based on budget, how much they’ll spend on effects, or where they will shoot. Story is what’s important. Also, there are a lot of guys ahead of me on the list to do epic effects movies.”
According to the above statement, Affleck’s concern makes sense. When relatively new directors tackle big-budget movies with little experience, there’s a risk they won’t have the chance to refine their skills.
In 2003, the actor starred inDaredevil, and he saw that before getting the warmer reception for R-rated Director’s Cut, the movie had already started getting unflattering reviews. So, he understood the limitations of working on an expensive superhero comic book adaptation.
Also read:“She has the energy and stamina of 100 mere mortals”: After Ben Affleck Left DC, Jennifer Lopez Joining MCU in She-Hulk Season 2? MCU Director Wants Her for ‘High-Quality Content’
Another DC Movie That Ben Affleck Declined
After turning downMan of Steel, Ben Affleck directed and starred inArgoin 2012, a historical thriller based on a true story. The film was highly successful and won three Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Chris Terrio.
This success led Affleck and Terrio to collaborate with Zack Snyder onBatman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeandJustice League. Affleck played Batman in these films, and Terrio co-wrote both, contributing to the DC Extended Universe, a series of interconnected DC Comics movies that started withMan of Steel.
The star had a second opportunity to direct a superhero film withThe Batmanbut decided to step away from the project because of various factors. These factors include his struggle with alcoholism, his divorce from Jennifer Garner, and, more than that, the demandingJustice Leaguereshoots. Later, Matt Reeves (known forCloverfieldandWar for the Planet of the Apes)took over as the film director.
Also read:James Gunn’s New Justice League ‘Crysis’ Trilogy Without Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill to Beat Marvel’s Secret Wars Saga? Report Reveals 3-Part ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’ Project
Source:MTV
Shreya Jha
Articles Published :1042
Meet Shreya, FandomWire’s go-to Pop-Culture Writer. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism and a pop culture obsession that rivals even the most die-hard ‘Star Wars’ and Marvel fans.Her articles have been published in Animated Times, Creator Mail, and The Luxxe Mag. When Shreya’s not busy dishing out hot takes, she is lost in the world of rom-coms.
