Ben Affleck will return as Batman in Andy Muschietti's upcoming The Flash movie, though he only agreed to be in the film earlier this week.
There's another twist in the surprising story of Ben Affleck reprising his role as Batman in The Flash movie — apparently, Affleck only signed on to the project a few days ago. After 2017's Justice League, Affleck claimed he was hanging up the cape. Initially, Affleck was set to write, direct, and star in The Batman, but he stepped down from the project. Matt Reeves took over behind the camera, while Robert Pattinson was cast as the Caped Crusader.
In June, it was announced Michael Keaton (who starred in 1989's Batman and 1992's Batman Returns) would reprise his role as Bruce Wayne in The Flash. It was also revealed the script would explore different timelines within the multiverse. Keaton's casting sparked rumors Affleck would also don the cowl again in The Flash. In a surprise announcement, those rumors were confirmed today, signaling Affleck's return to the DC Extended Universe.
According to Vanity Fair, there's a reason the news seems so sudden: Affleck only signed on to The Flash earlier this week. He read the script for the first time late last week, which is an incredibly quick turnaround. However, it speaks to the confidence Affleck must have in the project.
The Flash director Andy Muschietti claims Affleck will have a "substantial" role in the film. Interestingly, he says the same thing about Keaton. The movie will star Ezra Miller as Barry Allen, aka the Flash. Muschietti seems enthusiastic about his film tying together several disparate parts of the DCEU; he believes his interpretation of the Flashpoint comic book storyline will apparently set the foundation for a unified multiverse in DC films and TV shows. For that reason, it makes sense Affleck signed on to the project so quickly. It's a great way for his Batman to make a mark on the DCEU going forward.
Earlier this year, Affleck intimated that leaving The Batman was a difficult decision, but he ultimately decided against continuing with the project because its scope was larger than he felt comfortable handling. Muschietti's The Flash probably seems like a safe way to return to the character. Affleck won't have the pressure of writing or directing; he just gets to show up and play Batman. Given his apparent quick and enthusiastic response, this could be a relatively low-key way to come back to a role he seemingly wasn't ready to give up on yet. The announcement breaking so soon after Affleck agreed makes sense as well. His return is one of the biggest pieces of DC news this year, so it makes sense to reveal it quickly, especially with all eyes on DC FanDome this weekend.