Ben Affleck Retires as Batman, Says Goodbye to Batsuit

Ben Affleck officially said goodbye to Batman on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday night. 

The Triple Frontier star ended all speculation for good that he would portray the Dark Knight again on the big screen. “I tried to direct a version of [Batman], [I] worked with a really good screenwriter, but kinda just couldn’t come up with a version. Couldn’t crack it. I thought it was time for someone else to take a shot at it. And they’ve got some really good people,” said Affleck.  

To soften the news, host Jimmy Kimmel then “officially retired” Affleck’s Batsuit in a special ceremony that happens “whenever the Bat torch is passed.” Kimmel regular Guillermo Rodriguez, dressed as “Robert,” then brought out Affleck’s Batsuit and prepped it to be lifted to the studio rafters, where it replaced another bit of Hollywood memorabilia, Matt Damon’s thong from Behind the Candelabra.  

Matt Reeves’ The Batman, hitting theaters in summer 2021, has been one of the most closely watched superhero movies. After playing the Dark Knight in movies such as Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017), Affleck’s future as the character has been in doubt since July 2017, when sources told The Hollywood Reporter he was unlikely to continue on in the role after Justice League. On Jan. 30, with the announcement of The Batman release date, Affleck shared a tweet officially saying goodbye to the role.

“Excited for #TheBatman in Summer 2021 and to see @MattReevesLA vision come to life,” Affleck wrote. 

Reeves has laid out his vision for The Batman, telling THR: “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.”

He added that it will be Batman “more in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films.”

See Affleck officially retire the cap on Kimmel, below. 

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