Less than 24 hours have passed since Ben Affleck surprised everyone by exiting the director’s chair of “The Batman,” and there is plenty to talk about. Indeed, Forbes has gone really long on what kind of impact Affleck’s departure from the captain chair’s of the movie might see, and spitballs no shortage of scenarios that might play out. But let’s start with what everyone is thinking about: Who will take over and direct the movie?
Among the names reported to be floating are Matt Reeves, Gavin O’Connor, Denis Villeneuve, Matt Ross, and George Miller. As I wrote yesterday, O’Connor seems like a natural fit, having directed Affleck in last fall’s hit “The Accountant,” and showing a strong knack for gritty action. However, I’d wager that his involvement would depend on how quickly Paramount want “The Green Hornet,” which has O’Connor attached, and happens to be a dream project for the filmmaker.
On paper both Reeves and Villeneuve seem like no-brainer choices, though I’d wonder if the former wants to jump from the mega-franchise ‘Planet Of The Apes‘ right into another one, while the latter tends to be more of a sci-fi fan than comic book enthusiast (hence “Blade Runner 2049” and a reboot of “Dune“). Miller also makes sense on paper, and of course, was set to make “Justice League: Mortal” years ago before it fell apart, but he doesn’t seem to be in a big rush to make anything after “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and has expressed a desire to direct a smaller film first before going back into blockbuster mode.
READ MORE: ‘The Flash’ Is Starting Over From Scratch
As for Ross, who broke out last year with “Captain Fantastic,” he doesn’t have any tentpole experience at all, and seems like an odd choice to be in the mix here. Also, where are the female directors?
All this said, it’s becoming apparent that “The Batman” — once aiming to start filming this spring — probably isn’t going to make a 2018 release date at this point. However, more worrying is that “The Batman” is reportedly going through script problems, and in Affleck’s statement yesterday, while he noted his continued involvement as a producer and actor, there was no mention of the screenplay he was co-writing with Geoff Johns. And Forbes posits that script woes, combined with a handful of other personal and professional factors, could see Affleck exiting playing the lead role in “The Batman” altogether. And if that happens, it’s going to have quite a domino effect around DC Films projects as a whole.
I’m not sure I quite buy that, but then again, nobody saw Affleck bailing on directing the movie coming either. Either way, it’s another big blow for DC Films, who are still managing the dual director fallout of “The Flash” as well. And the weeks and months ahead are going to be very interesting, as Warner Bros. really needs to get a grip on their comic book movies if they want any chance at Marvel style success and longevity.
Oh please not Villeneuve (let’s keep him away from that superheroes stuff, he’s too precious for that). Reeves would be ideal tough!
And Bats is a precious icon.
O’Connor will do it (and get paid a flipping fortune). Villeneuve won’t go anywhere near it.
After seeing what Villeneuve did for Arrival, I am all for him directing this thing. The script was written by Geoff Johns and Affleck. That’s done, Denis Villeneuve is just a helluva director and has the real potential to realize that hopefully golden script and create another awesome piece of cinema out of this, superhero genre or not.
Barry Jenkins
Lol at people who think Villeneuve or Miller will go near this.
Where are the female directors? That’s laughable. None of them have done anything.
you need to watch more films if you really think female directors have never done anything.
Warner Bros. would never give Miller the amount of control he’d naturally expect for this, so I can’t see him doing it (even if they backed up a conga line of trucks filled with more money than he’d be able to spend for the remainder of his life in them to his front door).
“Also, where are the female directors?” Who cares? The last thing The Batman movie needs is some unnecessary gender politics injected into it to appease the online social justice league.
so, you think the hack that brought us Deadpool is a good choice, but the many great female filmmakers out there are only good for “unnecessary gender politics”? women make good movies too, you know
There’s not a lot of great female filmmakers out there and to put one on a list for “diversity” and just because of gender is a stupid f###ing idea. People with actual stuff on the line, like $200 mil, can’t afford to play gender politics like college kids with nothing better to do.
there’s certainly a lot of great female filmmakers out there, especially if you include Tim Miller in that “great directors” list. if you don’t know that, you need to watch more movies.
that’s not a question of “gender politics”, it’s just that, you know, there are men and women working in film, so why are only men even considered for blockbusters? it’s actually about making movies better, having more options. I’m pretty sure many women would do a better job than Matt Ross and Gavin O’Connor.
The director who takes on this project will ultimately be part creative track record/part prostitute (desperate for cash, cachet, or attention) because the director on a project like this is not actually the director. He is the person who takes the blame for directorial decisions made by the entire committee of stakeholders (studios, IP owners, and in this case, marquee leading man with his own directing Oscar, creative clout, and creative opinions). No one coming off a hit franchise, with all of the attendant opportunities, needs an anchor like “The Batman” around his neck. Unless Miller, Reeves, or Villeneuve owe serious money to the mob or have a “Scarface” sized drug habit, it won’t be them. More likely, those names are being floated to Fabreze off the stink of an exiting director (who stars AND wrote) and to suggest to the smaller directors (who are actually in contention) that “The Batman” is actually rich with creative and career possibilities because even directors with other big dollar opportunties and franchises are interested. In short, its a marketing ploy.
The director who ultimately lands the project will fit one of three types:
1) Up and coming Sundance-y/Oscar-y director looking to escape a life of low paid indie/Netflix films
2) Established director coming off of a bomb, a long dry spell, or with a kid that needs orthodontia and private school tuition
3) Established director with a hit film plagued with paralyzing inadequacy because he has yet to penetrate the golden circle of those “first choice” franchise director lists and is willing to endure the creative splitting migraine of directing by committee to (potentially) reach that garbage strewn summit.
But what it won’t be is a director at the top of his game with a lot of opportunities.
I have a feeling we’ll be seeing Gavin O’Connor on this.
Denis would be awesome, but he just finished Blade Runner and is about to do Dune. Not sure he’ll be picking up another big studio project soon.