Ben Affleck: 'Oh S***, We Have a Problem' - The Moment He Knew He Was Done as Batman

Ben Affleck, the star of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, has candidly shared his "excruciating" experience portraying the Caped Crusader for DC. In a recent interview with GQ, Affleck reflected on his nearly decade-long tenure as Batman, describing it as a challenging journey within the so-called Snyder-verse. He attributed his struggles to a complex relationship with DC, which ultimately led to his waning interest in the superhero genre.

"There are a number of reasons why that was a really excruciating experience," Affleck explained. "And they don't all have to do with the simple dynamic of being in a superhero movie. I am not interested in revisiting that genre, not just because of the negative experience, but because my interest in what initially drew me to it has faded. But I certainly wouldn't want to replicate an experience like that."

Affleck has touched on this topic before, but he now provides more insight into the reasons behind his difficult experience. He primarily pointed to a "misalignment of agendas, understandings, and expectations" but also acknowledged his own role in the situation. Reflecting on his time with DC, Affleck admitted, "I wasn't bringing anything particularly wonderful to that equation at the time, either."

"My failings as an actor, you can see in the films and judge for yourself. But more significantly, my contribution to the bad experience was my own unhappiness," he elaborated. "I wasn't bringing positive energy to work. I did my job and went home, but you need to bring a bit more than that."

Affleck's journey with DC began when he signed on to co-star in Zack Snyder's Batman v. Superman alongside Henry Cavill. This led to years of cameo appearances and even a canceled standalone Batman project. Fans will recall his roles in various team-up films like Justice League (both the 2017 theatrical release and the 2021 Snyder Cut), The Flash, and a brief appearance in Suicide Squad in 2016.

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Regarding the canceled Batman film, there's speculation that it would have spanned 80 years of the Dark Knight's history, possibly delving into Arkham Asylum and featuring Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke.

Affleck credits his longtime collaborator Matt Damon for helping him decide to step away from the role, but in the GQ interview, he also revealed that his own son influenced his decision. "But what happened was it started to skew too old for a big part of the audience. Even my own son at the time was too scared to watch Batman v. Superman. That made me realize we had a problem," he said.

"Then you had a filmmaker wanting to continue down that road and a studio aiming to recapture a younger audience, pulling in opposite directions. Two entities, two visions, and that's a recipe for disaster."

DC is now navigating a new direction by splitting its storytelling into grittier and more lighthearted paths. The darker narrative will continue with The Batman 2 slated for 2027, while the lighter tone will be explored in James Gunn's DCU, starting with Superman this July. As for Affleck, fans should not anticipate his return to direct a film within Gunn's new universe.