Now that Warner Bros. Pictures has Robert Pattinson due to don the Batsuit and Matt Reeves directing, it’s almost hard to believe Ben Affleck was going to direct and write his own Batman film some time ago.
And while Matt Reeve’s take on the character sounds interesting, many are no doubt wondering – what did Affleck have up his sleeve for his Batman feature? And now, thanks to an interview with cinematographer Robert Richardson (who worked on the film with him), we have an answer.
Talking recently on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Richardson discussed how Affleck’s film was to be a more character-driven piece, centered on Batman himself.
“Well, he was going more into the insanity aspects. 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’s inside Batman”, he explained, “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.”
So, not only was the film going to center on Batman’s psychology, it was going to feature Arkham Asylum as a primary setting. As players of Rocksteady’s timeless Batman: Arkham Asylum know, a similar plot unfolded within the game. Not only was it set within the infamous prison, but as Batman progressed, he would feel the effects of Scarecrow’s fear toxin and experience traumatic events from his past and other horrific images.
On the other hand, Matt Reeves’ The Batman will have a more “detective-noir” angle on the character. Whereas Affleck’s Bruce Wayne was older and experienced, Pattinson’s will be younger and less refined.
