Updates on Matt Reeves' THE BATMAN Movie Include No Ben Affleck and a True Detective Story

Last night some updates have finally emerged about writer and director Matt Reeves' THE BATMAN movie.

Right off the bat (pun!), let's talk about the elephant in the room which is actor Ben Affleck as Batman. According to Deadline, Affleck will not be reprising his role and Reeves will move on to a new next actor who will don the cape and cowl.

At one point several years ago, Affleck was set to be the producer, director, writer, and the star of his own Batman movie but all the pressure that comes with making and starring in a Batman movie saw the actor step back from all those roles except acting in it. But then when Reeves was brought on to the project, in February 2017, rumors got around quickly claiming Reeves would recast the lead role and that has been now proven to be true all along.

The next bit of info about THE BATMAN is its release date and that will be on June 25, 2021.

Finally, Reeves spoke with The Hollywood Reporter to give some teases about THE BATMAN. THR writer and director said the following:

“It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale. It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I’d love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime, it’s going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation...

“There will be a Rogues Gallery. The casting process will begin shortly. We’re starting to put together our battle plan. I’m doing another pass on the script and we’ll begin some long-lead stuff to start developing conceptual things.”

As Reeves said, "...casting begins shortly..." which will bring fans a new face of Batman as well as reveal who the baddies are that come from Batman's Rogues Gallery, too.