Joss Whedon Defends Ben Affleck as Batman

[tangoprime]

well he said he will crush it. i always considered crushing a synonim to destruction, which is a bad thing. so yes, Joss is right, he will ruin the batman. And yes, we should support him, maybe after this new batman failure they will finally stop making batman and go on to explore different chracters. there is so much batman out there nwo that its oversaturated.

I believe in this case "crushing" was referencing hitting a home run in Baseball, which is probably more of a strictly american idiom.

 

[teh_gunslinger]

The larger issue is: who the hell wants a Batman/Superman movie in the first place?

I personally like Affleck a lot and he's arguably an even better director. But I have zero interest in that movie. The new Batman movie was bad enough and I really dislike Superman, so whatever.

 

[elvor0]

Affleck will nail it seeing as Bruce Wayne is the actual character. Batman is just a costume.

ehh I wouldn't say that was the case, in the animated series and comics it's always presented that the personality he puts on as Wayne is a made up one, in Batman Beyond there's a scene where he states he doesn't think of him self as "Bruce" when someones trying to trick him into thinking he's hearing voices and it's present in Batman Year One too, when Gordon comes to visit Wayne and he's just lazing around with a couple of girls getting pasted on "champaign". The instant Gordon leaves, he goes back to being serious, gives the girl some cash, and puts down his ginger beer. That and in the animated series, he speaks like Batman as his normal voice, and puts on the Bruce voice when necessary, not the other way around.

Obviously as Bruce gets older, he tends to have less of a playboy/carefree attitude going on, the voice blurs and becomes a bit more in line with Batmans personality, but I'd say Batman was his true character.

Not to fussed about Ben as Batman, im more concerned how crap this movie will be. Batman can never beat Superman. Ever. Not in the real world that these heroes are set in. An i will walk out the cinema if they play the krytonite card again. Sick of that. Thing is even if Bats has a ring or gloves or whatever with kryptonite, Superman can just fly out of his reach and burn/freeze him from a distance. The whole idea of this movie is stupid, though the idea of them teaming up it good. An yes i know their was a comic where bats beat superman......but im sure there is a comic where Pee Wee Herman beat the Hulk.

Never read The Dark Knight Returns? they made a pretty good case for Batman taking on Superman in that.

I'm certainly interested to see what the story is for Batman/Superman too, but in SonOfVoorhees defence, I never got the impression that Superman was really going for it in DKR, he was told to take Bruce in obviously, but through out the fight, he's constantly trying to get Bruce to stand down, saying we don't have to do this and whatnot. I think if he'd wanted to, Supes could've ended that fight pretty easily. I'd say even the bits where Bats was really hammering Supes were because he managed to throw him off guard with the shock gloves and the sheer power of the suit.

 

[DTWolfwood]

I do agree with Whedon about the chin

 

[Something Amyss]

Joss Wheedon, the guy who thinks Buffy Summers is a strong female character and who wanted to butcher Wonder Woman? That Joss Wheedon?

Yeah, sorry, dude, don't take you at your word. But you make fun films with verbose characters and I appreciate that.

I agree with Joss Whedon, if the material is there both actors will totally own it. After Man of Steel, which I liked but I know a lot of people didn't, that is the real question.

If the material was there, David Spade could own it.

Of course everybody is screaming bloody murder that Affleck is going to be Batman, they do that EVERY TIME a new guy gets cast as Batman or Joker or any other Batman character for that matter before it gets released, only to say "BEST. [INSERT BATMAN CHARACTER HERE.] EVER." the moment it actually comes out. He did well in Daredevil (a great movie that doesn't get the love it deserves BTW) and he's had many good roles since. Is Affleck the best possible choice? Probably not, but he's nowhere near the worst.

Daredevil was awful and AFLAK! was awful in it. The only redeeming quality was the total camp of the Bullseye performance.

I'm actually still convinced they wanted Matt Damon for DD, but due to them appearing in so many movies together, the people responsible got confused and it was too late by the time they found out.

I'd also attest that if you think people change their minds every time, you might want to actually look at some of the feedback for some of the other actors.

But if you thought Daredevil was good, I'm sure this movie won't disappoint.

People had doubts when Heath Ledger was cast as Joker.

Ledger shouldn't have been a controversial choice, and I actually defended him at the time. While I preferred him doing goofy, campy things, he had already demonstrated quite a bit of versatility. Ben really hasn't in his career. It's not that he's a bad actor, it's just that he doesn't tend to do well outside his wheelhouse.

People always point to the exception, though, and that's what Heath Ledger represented. What's more, he was being stacked up against Jack Nicholson. Not the Joker, because there was no Joker in the 1989 Batman. He was stacked up against Jack Nicholson playing Jack Nicholson to a Prince song, and people doubted he could pull it off. He could have phoned it in and done better. People were being ridiculous.

So yeah. There's a slim chance that Affleck will tap into some hither unto unknown talent and blow us away. There's a much more realistic chance that he's going to be mediocre.

Still don't understand what all the "outrage" is about. It is just like people complaining about Doctor Who switching actors every few seasons: Get over it, they are actors and being paid to fill a role. The role isn't limited to a single actor. Some may be better than others but if one is bad and you don't like him, simply don't give him your money!

Doctor Who fans are insane. I'm one of them, I should know. And, on a more controversial note, I'm glad Tennant left, and my buttocks clench every time someone suggests they regenerate backwards. I'm sad to see Smith go, but I will live and so will the show. I don't know the new guy, but I will give him a chance.

However, I don't think it's unreasonable to want to see a good actor in a movie you want to like.

I think the concern is even bigger with superhero movies, as they're kind of existing as a bubble on a pin. We've seen one bad movie kill the Batfranchise for like a Batdecade, and DC is basically placing all its hopes on this one film. Two franchises, as it were. Superman Returns put a kibosh on Superman movies for a good chunk of time, too.

a DC movie series finally managed to catch fire, and people I think are mostly worried and an Affleck vehicle is going to ruin the chances of more movies. Green Lantern basically killed Justice League hopes already, at least in the short term. "Just don't give (them) your money" only further complicates that.

 

[Lyvric]

What, you didn't like the Bat-Nipples or Bat-Credit Card?

Unless they plan to do a cheery Batman to play against the dreary Superman (maybe Ben Affleck can channel his inner Adam West), I feel that this movie is gonna end up as two dudes trying to out-brood on another.

Batman: "Ugh..."
Superman: "Uggghhhhhh..."
Batman: "Uuuuuuuggggghhhhhhhh..."
Superman: "UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"
Batman: "*****! MAH PARENTS GOT MURDERED!"
Superman: "*****! MAH PLANET GOT KERPLODED!!!"
Yes, truly inspiring dialogue options between two overly angsty heroes. :3

Heh, bat-nipples. I liked those as a kid. As a child I thought it made batman look way more original.

The actor has the body/face to pull off Bruce Wayne and Batman. Much of the negative impact is from replacing a really popular character in the middle of a series/streak, a portfolio that doesn't say 'I've done tons of superheroes/superhuman/mutants' (or at least loudly that I'm aware of) and jumping into a movie that has already built up a LOT of negative expectations.

People were upset with superman killing; people are upset with batman changing. It's understandable for people to just be upset regardless of whoever decided to take on the challenge. Personally I'm not a huge fan of either character, but might watch it with friends on a lazy day if I get invited to tag along. Good luck with the movie!

 

[Hyper-space]

People had doubts when Heath Ledger was cast as Joker.

People also had doubts when George Clooney was cast as Batman too, look how that turned out. We can see how well Ben Affleck handled a superhero movie already... look how that turned out too.

Why is it that people refer to Affleck's work from a decade ago, but ignore his most recent? What selective bullshit is this?

By the same logic, Leonardo DiCaprio is a terrible actor, when he's anything but.

 

[LordMonty]

I'll be fine most likely. Just as long as batman make sense when he speaks.

 

[Buizel91]

They better use the Nolan Batman music, the music you hear when the cops first see Batman again in the Dark Knight Rises. (The music was used before, but that scene sticks out) It's possibly one of the best soundtracks to go with a film, that kinda, reflects the character, kinda like Jaws, when you hear that music, you know what's coming kinda thing.

To be honest, if WB and DC can pull this off, this could be the start of something big and might finally get WB and DC in the same league as Marvel and Disney.

 

[MonkeyPunch]

The new Batman film is meant to include Superman, right? Already something I'm not at all down with.
And now I read this... The fact that Ben Afleck has done other good stuff (and he has) means nothing. It's whether or not he'll be a good Batman and until I see something to the contrary, I just can't see it. Not at all looking forward to the new Batman flicks.

 

[Tortilla the Hun]

People had doubts when Heath Ledger was cast as Joker.

People also had doubts when George Clooney was cast as Batman too, look how that turned out. We can see how well Ben Affleck handled a superhero movie already... look how that turned out too.

Why is it that people refer to Affleck's work from a decade ago, but ignore his most recent? What selective bullshit is this?

By the same logic, Leonardo DiCaprio is a terrible actor, when he's anything but.

By your logic, Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino are terrible actors, seeing as all their recent movies have been pretty bad.

You cant just ignore previous work, god awful movies Ben Affleck did a decade ago are still relevant to an appraisal of his abilities as an actor.

I don't think he meant ignore the past and only focus on the recent works, just recognize that previous works shouldn't be the sole basis for determining how well an actor can perform.

On a semi-related note, I still think DeNiro and Pacino are fantastic actors. Have they been cast in the best movies as of late? Perhaps not, but their individual performances should be what determines their skill, not the work as a whole. Of course, this is entire matter is purely subjective, so take it as you like.

 

[Ulquiorra4sama]

I'm inclined to trust the casting, even as I doubt the wisdom of remaking the franchise so soon.

It's not really remaking the franchise, is it? They've just cast Affleck to play Batman for a crossover flick which is essentially taking place in a Superman movie. They're not deleting the Nolan trilogy as far as i see it.

OT: Is it wrong that i suspect Whedon only supports this because he hopes it'll bomb really badly and thus crush DC's hopes of extending this series into a Justice League movie?

 

[Towels]

So... Defenders claim that Affleck's a shoe in because he's just as miserable as Batman?

Actually... yeah, that's a surprisingly eloquent argument. Daredevil sucked ass, but back then Affleck's public persona was Full Bars, I mean he was married to J-Lo for frak's sake. This fits into the logic pretty well. Ok, I'll give him a chance. Come on guys, in a world where Batman can also become the Mayor of Quohog, what kind of damage can Affleck really do to the beloved "canon of Batmon?"

Well done, defenders. You won me over.

 

[faefrost]

Trying to reserve judgement...

Failing miserably! I understand what the various Hollywood types are saying. But really they have to say and think that. Their own careers are based on neither they nor their compatriots falling into any sort of typcasting, be it via roles, genres or ability. So they will never question this sort of thing. And I'll agree with Wheedon, Affleck can look like a decent Batman. He's got the chin to rock the mask.

BUT

I as a paying fan can not ever see an actual Ben Affleck character. I can no longer see past the entity that is Ben Affleck. I have a similar problem with some other "A listers" like Tom Cruise or Will Smith. They have no ability to take on a distinct crafted role. Instead they play themselves and the role is crafted around them. And this is fine in some cases. Many actors have had long succesful careers this way. John Wayne understood this concept. But it can't work for Batman. Batman is not a role that you can write around Ben Affleck. Ben Affleck must become Batman. And nothing I have seen of his abilities gives me even the slightest hope that he has those sorts of chops. He can probably write a really really good Dark Knight quality Batman script. I would love to see his take on it from the directors chair. But stepping in front of the camera as Batman? I'm sorry no matter how I try I can't see past Ben Affleck standing in the way.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

Not to fussed about Ben as Batman, im more concerned how crap this movie will be. Batman can never beat Superman. Ever. Not in the real world that these heroes are set in. An i will walk out the cinema if they play the krytonite card again. Sick of that. Thing is even if Bats has a ring or gloves or whatever with kryptonite, Superman can just fly out of his reach and burn/freeze him from a distance. The whole idea of this movie is stupid, though the idea of them teaming up it good. An yes i know their was a comic where bats beat superman......but im sure there is a comic where Pee Wee Herman beat the Hulk.

Superman/Batman are comics were they work together. The film will be, too. They won't be fighting each other.

Have they confirmed it isn't a versus film, because that's what I hope. I would rather a team up then a vs, could make for an interesting story seeing as how the two have never done so in live action before. As for Ben, I'll give him a chance.

 

[nathan-dts]

Not to fussed about Ben as Batman, im more concerned how crap this movie will be. Batman can never beat Superman. Ever. Not in the real world that these heroes are set in. An i will walk out the cinema if they play the krytonite card again. Sick of that. Thing is even if Bats has a ring or gloves or whatever with kryptonite, Superman can just fly out of his reach and burn/freeze him from a distance. The whole idea of this movie is stupid, though the idea of them teaming up it good. An yes i know their was a comic where bats beat superman......but im sure there is a comic where Pee Wee Herman beat the Hulk.

Superman/Batman are comics were they work together. The film will be, too. They won't be fighting each other.

Have they confirmed it isn't a versus film, because that's what I hope. I would rather a team up then a vs, could make for an interesting story seeing as how the two have never done so in live action before. As for Ben, I'll give him a chance.

No plot details, but the title is identical to the comics so I'm assuming that's how it'll work.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

Not to fussed about Ben as Batman, im more concerned how crap this movie will be. Batman can never beat Superman. Ever. Not in the real world that these heroes are set in. An i will walk out the cinema if they play the krytonite card again. Sick of that. Thing is even if Bats has a ring or gloves or whatever with kryptonite, Superman can just fly out of his reach and burn/freeze him from a distance. The whole idea of this movie is stupid, though the idea of them teaming up it good. An yes i know their was a comic where bats beat superman......but im sure there is a comic where Pee Wee Herman beat the Hulk.

Superman/Batman are comics were they work together. The film will be, too. They won't be fighting each other.

Have they confirmed it isn't a versus film, because that's what I hope. I would rather a team up then a vs, could make for an interesting story seeing as how the two have never done so in live action before. As for Ben, I'll give him a chance.

No plot details, but the title is identical to the comics so I'm assuming that's how it'll work.

Oh, they titled it? Superman/Batman? Or Worlds Finest? Either way is fine, just glad to hear it won't be a versus.

 

[drschplatt]

Hey it can't be any worse than Christopher Nolan's boring, whining, batman who was suffering from lung cancer.