The DCU Can Still Fix One Awkward Ben Affleck Batman Record

With Ben Affleck’s impending appearance as Batman in The Flash movie, one sad Dark Knight record is set up to be broken once and for all.

As the DCU looks to the future, it can fix one awkward Ben Affleck Batman record that still stands. Since James Gunn took over as head of DC films, audiences have been anticipating what the future of Robert Pattinson’s Batman will be and if it will connect to the wider DCU. At the same time, Ben Affleck is still around, set to appear in The Flash, and potentially Aquaman 2.

Despite all these appearances, Ben Affleck is thus far the only live-action version of Batman to not get a solo, standalone movie. While he’s not been short-changed in that time – making his debut in Batman v Superman, and starring in both versions of the Justice League, which he was arguably the lead in – having an integral character without their own series creates complications for the franchise. A solo movie would help fully establish the hero as a DCU cornerstone, making it helpful that The Flash is perfectly placed to set up a standalone film for the Ben Affleck Batman – potentially erasing this awkward Dark Knight record for the franchise.

Why Ben Affleck Didn’t Get A Batman Solo Movie

As it stands, the main reason a Ben Affleck solo Batman movie didn’t happen is because it turned into The Batman. The original plan was for Ben Affleck to write, star, and direct the Batman solo film, but as it took a while to develop, that changed over time. Ben Affleck stepped down as director, with the plan for Matt Reeves to helm the same film. The film was very much part of the DCU, which Reeves supposedly wasn’t particularly keen on, wanting to make it slightly more personal without all the other DCU characters popping up.

After that, Ben Affleck was still set to star in the film, just written and directed by Reeves, but ultimately Affleck stepped down. Reeves got his wish, as the eventual The Batman was disconnected from the DCU entirely, with Robert Pattinson’s Batman instead coming to the big screen. It would have been a very different landscape had Affleck stayed on to write, direct and star in the movie, as not only would Pattinson not be Bruce Wayne, but The Batman spinoffs, like the Penguin series, would either not be happening or be totally different.

The Flash Can Set Up Batfleck’s DCU Solo Movies

With The Flash dealing with different timelines and the multiverse, viewers have been debating for years what the Batman situation would be, come the end of the film. Theories have been split between whether the movie will either reconfirm faith in Ben Affleck, bring Michael Keaton’s Batman back full-time, or merge Reeves and Pattinson’s universe into the DCU. All are possible, but with Ben Affleck already pre-established, it would make sense for The Flash to set up a Batfleck solo movie in the DCU. Henry Cavill’s return as Superman further supports this, as logically reestablishing these two major DC heroes with their own movies is vital.

With The Flash, the DCU can get rid of the Ben Affleck Batman record and finally set up the Dark Knight’s own solo film for the franchise. Warner Bros boss David Zaslav has said there’s not going to be four versions of Batman – which, when paired with the Batgirl cancelation, points towards Michael Keaton only returning for The Flash. DC seems all in on Pattinson, but with The Batman and Joker being completely separate from the DCU, there’s still room for a Batfleck solo film in the future.