Ben Affleck’s defunct Batman script would have taken him to Arkham Asylum

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

When the Dark Night returns to the big screen, it will be Robert Pattinson who dons the cape and cowl for director Matt Reeves' THE BATMAN. News of Pattinson's casting rocked the Bat-community back in May, with many fans calling for Ben Affleck to continue his role as the World's Greatest Detective. Alas, Affleck had officially parted ways with the character back in January, after he and a fellow screenwriter had failed to script a satisfying version of the Masked Manhunter.

“I tried to direct a version of it and worked with a really good screenwriter but just couldn’t come up with a version,” Affleck said at the time. He then added, “I couldn’t crack it and so I thought it’s time for someone else to take a shot at it. They got some really good people so I’m excited.”

Thus, the Bat-torch was passed off to filmmaker Matt Reeves, who in June 2021, will attempt to reinvigorate the character for a possible trilogy of films. As excited as we are to see what Reeves has planned, we can't help but wonder what Affleck's Batman would have been. Now, thanks to the Happy Sad Confused podcast, we've been given some insight into Affleck's finished Bat-script.

Recently on the entertainment radio show, cinematographer Robert Richardson confirmed to that Affleck's script was indeed finished, but not beloved by many who were a part of the film's development process. Richardson had been hired by Affleck to film the feature after the two had worked together on the CHASING AMY actor's LIVE BY NIGHT gangster drama.

“There was a script, but not a loved script,” Richardson said. “There was a lot to do… he was trying to change it and then he made the decision to do as you know, ‘Gone Girl.'”

With regard to how Affleck's Bat-script would have played out, Richardson says that the Dark Knight's standalone adventure would have taken him to Arkham Asylum as a way of exploring Bruce Wayne's own insanity. According to Richardson, Affleck's version would have delved into "the darker side of Batman," which is quite the leap considering how Nolan's trilogy had already framed the Caped Crusader as a dark shadow looming over Gotham City.

“Well, [Affleck] was going more into the insanity aspects,” Richardson said. “So I think you would’ve seen something a little darker than what we’ve seen in the past and more into the individual, who was inside Batman — what element may be sane and what element may actually not be sane. So he was entering into a little more of the Arkham, as you know, he’s going into where you keep everyone who was bad, everyone that shifted and Batman. And so that whole aspect was sort of, it was very fascinating to go to the darker side of Batman.”

When production on Reeves' THE BATMAN begins, it will be Cinematographer Greig Frase who joins the WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES director in bringing Bats back to screens. It's unclear at this point in time whether or not any of Affleck's ideas or scripting material will be used for the project, though I suspect that Reeves has plans of his own.

What do you think of Affleck's script for a Batman standalone film? Are you upset that we'll never get to see this version of the Dark Knight? Should we start a #ReleaseTheAffleckCut campaign? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.