Ben Affleck says Batman will be “more traditional” in Justice League

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

BATMAN V. SUPERMAN introduced us to a Batman we’d never seen before on screen, one filled with hate, anger and who wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a few fools if necessary. He was unhinged, and though some fans enjoyed this grittier take others found the shift off-putting, preferring the more righteous version of the Caped Crusader. Those in the latter group will find their needs met this November, as actor Ben Affleck has said that the Batman we see this time will put the “just” in JUSTICE LEAGUE.

Speaking with EW about the movie, Affleck said that in BVS the character was filled with rage over being powerless to help his co-workers during the attack on Metropolis (during the events of MAN OF STEEL), and how that acted as his main motivation to rid the world of Superman. This time around the character is back to focusing on helping people, acting as the patriarch of this new team of heroes:

BvS departed a little bit from the traditional Batman,” says Affleck. “He started out with all this rage directed at Superman, because of his coworkers who had died in the fight Superman had with Zod. He was holding on to a lot of anger, in a little bit of an irrational way,” Affleck says. “Whereas this is a much more traditional Batman. He’s heroic. He does things in his own way, but he wants to save people, help people.”

He would go on to say this new version is “keeping with the canon” of the Batman from the comics, saying it’s as if you opened an issue and started reading your “average Batman comic book.” Of course, he wants to ensure there’s nothing average about the movie, saying how it’s actually “really cool” and all about “multilateralism.” Big words for a big Batman.

At first, I found myself disagreeing with the take on this Batman, preferring my Dark Knight to rise about the antics of common criminals. But after repeat viewings of BVS, I can see where it all came from, all the fury and feelings of helplessness. This had to be a new Batman because the circumstances have changed. Perhaps Christian Bale’s Batman may have acted the same way. But now that’s he’s learned to embrace Superman, and understand there are greater threats out there, a return to traditional Batman heroics is a welcome step forward for this iteration of the character, even if I would like to see him wielding more M60s.

JUSTICE LEAGUE assembles November 17.