Ben Affleck has been plagued by unfairly poor box office results since the DCEU Justice League, a trend that his Batman movie would have countered.

The underwhelming performance of several Ben Affleck movies has cemented the DC Universe’s lost Batman film as an even greater missed opportunity.

Ben Affleck played the iconic superhero, Batman, in several movies throughout the DCEU’s timeline, beginning with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Despite his popularity, Affleck’s Batman never received a solo movie, with the plans for his solo film instead leading to The Batman starring Robert Pattinson.

Ben Affleck’s Batman proved to be one of the most successful elements of the DCEU, which is appropriate considering Affleck’s praiseworthy legacy in Hollywood. Despite this, the actor’s movies have struggled at the box office after Justice League.

Ben Affleck’s sequel to The Accountant could be the box office hit that the famed actor needs, though his canceled Batman movie would have rendered this less necessary.

Here’s every new DC movie confirmed as in development by WB for 2024 and onwards, including release dates and where they belong in the franchise.

Ben Affleck’s Post-Justice League Box Office History Makes The Cut Batman Movie Sadder

After the underwhelming performance of Justice League, Affleck’s subsequent projects, such as Hypnotic and The Way Back, also faced challenges at the box office.

These struggles didn’t necessarily reflect the quality of Affleck’s work, but rather a distinct lack of engagement from audiences. This was even the case for the DCEU, which failed to match the MCU’s impressive legacy.

Affleck’s Batman movie could have rectified this substantially due to the inherent fascination audiences have historically demonstrated with solo movies about the Dark Knight, especially since the character had already proved to be a highlight in the franchise.

Why Ben Affleck’s Batman Deserved Better In The DCEU

Ben Affleck’s portrayal of Batman in the DCEU was wildly underutilized. Affleck brought a unique and mature interpretation to the character, capturing both the brooding intensity of the Dark Knight and the world-weariness of an older Bruce Wayne.

His physicality and presence offered a refreshing take on Batman’s crime-fighting prowess. Unfortunately, despite his solid performance, the scripts and overall direction in movies like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League failed to fully explore the character’s depth.

The DCEU struggled with inconsistent storytelling and tonal shifts, impacting the narrative arcs of its characters, including Batman. Affleck’s version deserved a more cohesive and well-developed storyline that delved into the psychological complexities of Bruce Wayne. Additionally, his lost solo movie could have provided a deeper exploration of Batman’s world and rogues gallery.

Audiences were left yearning for the promised exploration of the character’s detective skills, internal conflicts, and a more fleshed-out narrative that would have done justice to Affleck’s commitment to the role.

Many of these deficits were later addressed by The Batman, but the potential of Ben Affleck’s Batman movie remains a missed opportunity for a more nuanced and satisfying portrayal in the DCEU.