The Batman has lost an acclaimed director, got another acclaimed director. Thereafter, it allegedly practically lost its star, and now, it’s dropping its original script for a totally new story.
Presently, this could all be reason to worry. However, director Matt Reeves is squashing Ben Affleck’s script to revamp the story right from the beginning. This is something that has been cooking up for quite a while, and will probably be a decent reset for the battered production.
We had stated in March that the studio was looking towards a “new beginning” and that Reeves was set to rework the film. Presently, Reeves has affirmed that news on MTV’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, expressing that he has rejected Affleck, Chris Terrio, and DC Film’s Geoff Johns’ original script;
“No, it’s a new story. It’s just starting again. I’m excited about it. I think it’s going to be really cool.”
Affleck’s original script included Deathstroke as the baddie, with Joe Manganiello set to play the sword-employing assassin. However, it’s yet to be seen whether Reeves will keep the character with his new script. It’s improbable, as Reeves has been energetically pushing his “noir-driven,” Hitchcockian vision of Batman and the obvious Deathstroke isn’t a character that fits in that vision.
It’s too awful for Manganiello, yet this implies Deathstroke could show up in the Nightwing motion picture, as he is one of Dick Grayson’s consistent mavericks.
While it’s simple to glance at The Batman’s uneasy production as an indication of trouble, it could imply that Warner Bros. is considering the runaway accomplishment of Wonder Woman and changing course for their future DCEU movies.
Reeves is an expert director who has done miracles for the Planet of the Apes reboot series, transforming the franchise into the most impactful and scholarly blockbusters series. I don’t question that he will do the same with The Batman – the Caped Crusader has such a rich history and with a wide range of character interpretations for Reeves to toy with.
While Affleck, Johns, and Terrio seem like a fantasy group of writers, maybe a troubled script could have impacted Affleck’s choice to leave the director’s seat. I wouldn’t fret over The Batman beginning again with a solitary vision from a great director.
The Batman’s release date is not affirmed, but it will probably hit theatres somewhere in 2019.
