Warner Bros. is finally unleashing their highly-anticipated DC Extended Universe this year, introducing a bevy of new characters in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad. One of the most important pieces that will be featured in both of those films is Ben Affleck’s take on Batman. The Oscar winner’s casting as the Caped Crusader caused some impassioned responses on the Internet, but as images and footage of the actor in character have been shown, the tide is shifting over to Affleck’s side. Many fans are eager to see what he does with Gotham’s Dark Knight.

This decade, Affleck made a name for himself not just by being in front of the cameras, but also as a director. His work on hits The Town and Argo earned him widespread acclaim and awards recognition, establishing himself as a talented filmmaker. With Affleck joining the DCEU, many are hoping he helms a film for the franchise, and it’s long been rumored he’s going to call the shots on his own standalone Batman vehicle. While Affleck won’t make any official statements regarding that matter, his experiences on Dawn of Justice have pushed him in a certain direction.

Speaking with USA Today, Affleck was asked if one of the reasons he signed on for Batman was to one day have the opportunity to make a comic book adaptation. He revealed that was never his intention, but seeing Batman V Superman director Zach Snyder on set inspired him to at least consider it:

“I’ll just say going through the process, I would never have imagined that I could or would direct a movie like this. And in working with (Batman v Superman director Zack Snyder) and seeing what he did and watching him every day, I got really inspired by that and by seeing the scope on which he was telling the story, by seeing what he was able to do with this kind of mythic story on a grand scale.”

If Affleck were to direct a superhero movie, it would certainly be a change-of-pace for that aspect of his career. He’s achieved major financial success with some of his earlier projects, but they’ve all been of smaller scale when compared to a big studio blockbuster. However, as Affleck alludes, he more than likely received some pointers about working in the genre from his time with Snyder and would be prepared for the task at hand should WB call his number. Affleck’s done terrific work for them, so it would be a shame if they didn’t.

Affleck’s inexperience with special effects (as a director) probably wouldn’t even come into play that much on a solo Batman film. That particular character is more reality-based than DC’s other heroes, and Affleck’s sensibilities as a filmmaker could craft a compelling crime drama from the source material. Yes, there would obviously be action set pieces involved, but it most likely wouldn’t be as extravagant as something like Green Lantern Corps. or Justice League, which involve more fantastical elements. Affleck would have the ability to work within his wheelhouse while also staying true to the comics - a win-win for all involved.

Time will tell if Affleck will get the Batman job, but it’s not something WB is rushing towards at this point. The studio intends on getting the film out before 2020 (along with another solo Superman film), but there has been no official confirmation concerning a release date yet. It looks like Affleck will have everything wrapped on his Live by Night before the ball gets rolling on Bruce Wayne’s next adventure, so the schedules should line up. After impressing many with his directorial output, Affleck diving into the rich mythology of Batman sounds too good to pass up.

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice opens on March 25, 2016, followed by Suicide Squad on August 5, 2016; Wonder Woman on June 23, 2017; Justice League Part One on November 17, 2017; The Flash on March 23, 2018; Aquaman on July 27, 2018; Shazam on April 5, 2019; Justice League Part Two on June 14, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern on June 19, 2020. The Superman and Batman solo films have release dates TBD.

Source: USA Today