Ben Affleck’s Vision For New Batman: ‘He’s Kind Of A Burnout’

Ben Affleck made his first public appearance since announcing his divorce from Jennifer Garner. But the 42-year old Argo star wasn’t taking questions about that. He had more important items to tackle — like introducing brand new footage from the highly anticipated Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice film at Comic-Con 2015 instead!

Affleck also shared director Zack Snyder’s pitch that helped reel him in to the film in the first place.

“I have this vision for [Batman], he’s old, he’s kind of a burnout,” Affleck told the crowd, as reported by E! Online.

It was that new spin on the Bruce Wayne character that enticed Ben to take the role, as detailed by ABC News. Affleck was concerned originally that there were too many actors who had portrayed Batman in the past and he was afraid he wouldn’t have been able to put his own spin on the character.

“I think if I thought too hard about the actors who played this part before, I couldn’t have taken the job.”

[Warning: Spoilers Ahead]

Joined by Man Of Steel star Henry Cavill, and co-stars Gal Gadot and Jesse Eisenberg, Ben introduced the latest footage from the highly anticipated film, which hits theaters in March of 2016. In it, it’s revealed that Bruce Wayne was actually present during the events of Man of Steel. Witnessing the damage Superman could impose on Earth should he ever turn evil inspired Affleck’s Batman to start the war between the two superheroes.

Affleck has taken to the role of Batman so much that Deadline is reporting he and DC Comics’ chief creative officer Geoff Johns are teaming up for a standalone Batman film, in which Ben will write and direct. The Argo director and producer won an Academy Award for Best Picture in 2013, so fans know he’s got the chops to tackle a solo Bruce Wayne flick. And so far, his collaboration with Johns has been nothing but positive.

“Affleck and Johns are well in synch and have more than found their rhythm,” the article revealed. “In fact, they are likely to turn in a script before the end of the summer, prior to Affleck going off to direct Live By Night in November.”

According to the article, Ben Affleck was originally slated to tackle the solo film prior to his appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice, but postponed it to help lay the groundwork with Zack Snyder on Batman v Superman and the forthcoming Justice League film, the latter of which comes out November 17, 2017.

[Ben Affleck photo credit: Kevin Winter / Getty Images]