Is WB Grooming Ben Affleck For A BATMAN Trilogy?

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Well, it took a couple of years before the world of comic book and DC fandom took a liking to the idea of actor Ben Affleck wearing the iconic cape and cowl as Batman for Warner Bros.'s currently-developing DC brand of superhero movielore. The latest Comic-Con teaser and images of the past year featuring Affleck in and out of costume has essentially drawn him as the prolific choice for the role in the eyes of the studio ahead of the remainder of titles to come, and the hype is nothing short of electric with seven months to go before catching his DC debut opposite Henry Cavill in Zack Snyder's Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice.

The film is readying for a release on March 25, 2016, and with post-production still underway, the fallout from Comic-Con this summer granted fans a major gift with the news of Affleck tapped to star in and direct a standalone Batman movie, pairing himself for scripting duties with DC Comics chief Geoff Johns. As such, it turns out that Snyder's movie is getting some meaty studio approval for his application of Affleck in the role with word from Den Of Geek now stating that Warner Bros. may be leaving the door open for what is being described as a "Golden deal" for the star. The news comes following a private screening of an unlocked version of the film in the last twenty four hours which the report's source suggests earned a standing ovation among its exclusive audience and talk of the possibility of building future DC movies around Affleck's performance for the next ten years with a trilogy of films.

This would actually make sense with the appearance of Batman thusfar seen in David Ayer's upcoming adaptation of Sucide Squad in conjunction with the foreseeable addition of actor Jared Leto who plays The Joker in the film; As integral as the character is in Batman's universe, and granted the report is later confirmed among the trades in future updates, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of seeing Affleck and Leto again, particularly if the reception of the +5 million view difference (as of this write-up) between the Suicide Squad and Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice as of this write up trailers are any sign worth pointing to.

Currently, Affleck's and Johns's The Batman is posied to take precedence once the actor is finished with an adaptation of the upcoming prohibition-era crime flick, Live By Night. Bearing in mind though, the latest news from Den Of Geek might be a factor in what's now happening with the shuffled release date set for the film now set for a 2017 opening, leaving room in 2016 for Affleck's assassin flick, The Accountant, to release on October 7.

Lots of pieces here are moving and things are happening here, so feel free to speculate away. Otherwise, stay tuned for more info.

H/T: Den Of Geek, THR