Batman returns in new solo film
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Loading... - J. Oliveira
- 14 Jul 2020
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When Warner Bros announced its plans for a ten movie cinematic universe based on its DC Comics properties last October, there were a couple of notable omissions. While 2013's Man of Steel kicked off the new onscreen continuity, and next summer's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice acts as springboard for the rest of the DC heroes, neither Batman nor Superman were listed as having further solo movies of their own.
That changed at San Diego Comic Con, with the announcement that Ben Affleck -- set to play Bruce Wayne and take on Henry Cavill's last son of Krypton in Dawn of Justice -- will be teaming with DC Comics' chief creative officer Geoff Johns to write and direct a standalone Batman movie.
There's no date on the new Batflick, though Affleck is supposedly set on finishing his adaptation of the Dennis Lahane crime novel Live by Night before turning his attentions fully to the caped crusader. That movie is expected to begin shooting in November, so the absolute earliest that physical production could begin on Batman would be 2016.
Johns may not be well known outside comics circles, but he's one of the most influential creators at DC. Having started there by revamping 1940s character Star-Spangled Kid into a modern day family-driven action comedy Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E., he went on to revitalise characters such as Green Lantern and reboot the entire DC Universe with the Flashpoint storyline. Before comics, he worked with Superman director Richard Donner, and has recently expanded his role to guide DC's heroes as they're adapted for TV and film.
The plot that the pair have come up with is rumoured to focus on the changed man Batman becomes in the wake of his battle with Superman and the two-part Justice League movies. That would put the release of the standalone film as far off as 2020 though, as the second half of Justice League is currently scheduled for 2019. That said, it wouldn't be surprising if the potential for a new Batman movie to earn Dark Knight money at the box office tempted Warner Bros. to adjust its current schedule.
Johns hasn't written Batman extensively in the comics, at least not in the shared DC Universe. He has, however, penned the Batman: Earth One graphic novels featuring the character, which retells the origin in a modern setting. That's unlikely to form any story basis for the Batman we see onscreen -- Affleck is playing an older, hardened version of the character when we first meet him, and redoing the origin for film again seems redundant at this point -- but they could give an indication to the tone and personality we can expect from the solo project, whenever it lands.
