Ben Affleck's version of the Dark Knight in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be a completely different to any previous Batman we've seen onscreen. He's going grey. He gets tired after a fight. According to Affleck, though, it goes much deeper than that. Bruce Wayne's not just older, he's "questioning whether the whole journey that he lived as Batman was in fact even worth it, given that he was not a superhero, but now had to face a super-being, which none of the other Batmans had to confront in the movie world."
It's strange that we've not really thought about this angle much before. But Affleck brings up a significant point. Sure, The Joker is seriously unhinged, and Bane's got his problems. Yet none of the previous Batmen ever squared off against an alien. "He [Batman as a cinematic figure] never has to reconcile who he is with this idea that there are all these other people who can do these supernatural things. Having to confront that and having to deal with that is my contribution to the character."
Of course, just because he's never faced a supernatural opponent before, doesn't mean he hasn't had it tough. "He's very disillusioned and very bitter," Affleck adds, before referencing the biggest blow to strike the Dark Knight: the death of his sidekick Robin. "He’s bitterly disappointed in the past that he’s lost this guy who fought by his side. That character’s death must have been devastating to him, and he’s suffered. We get the sense that he’s suffered a lot of devastating losses before this movie even starts."
Despite his ongoing suffering, sounds like there's a light at the end of the tunnel for Batman in the form of Wonder Woman. Affleck calls her an inspiration to his character: "If there’s one of these kinds of people out there, then maybe there are in fact more. If there are more, then maybe that’s hopeful and also terrifying to him, because then they could make humans even more powerless — or they could serve on our side."
We all know what that means, right? Batman's readying himself to join forces with many, many more superheroes. You know, for that little film called Justice League.
Directed by Zack Snyder and starring Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Diane Lane, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Laurence Fishburne, and Amy Adams, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will arrive in UK and US cinemas on March 25, 2016.
Images: Warner Bros.
