Here’s why Ben Affleck felt ashamed of his Batman performance ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )
Advertisement
Ben Affleck’s run as Bruce Wayne started in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), which focused on dark tones and even darker moods. Affleck bulked up, donned a trench coat, and punched baddies like a brick podium with a vengeance. That post-apocalyptic dream sequence? Peak Batfleck, complete with goggles, a scarf, and no cape. It was supposed to be remarkable. It ended up hilarious.
Justice League (2017) brought more chaos, both on-screen and off. Affleck’s Batman went from brooding killer to awkward punchline between reshoots, rewrites, and a Joss Whedon takeover. “Yeah, something is bleeding,” he muttered after Superman tossed him aside like a crumpled Batarang. It was supposed to be funny. Instead, it was painfully sad—a tired Batman, played by an actor whose exhaustion felt all too real.
Affleck’s Batsuit also didn’t do him any favors. With its extra layers and pockmarked design, the costume looked less like a superhero uniform and more like a 6-foot-4 jogging sock. The greenscreen-heavy backdrops didn’t help either, leaving him to fight in bland, gray limbo. Snyder’s Batman thrived on brutal violence, while Whedon leaned into comedy. The result? A Bruce Wayne torn between extremes, never quite landing in the Gotham he deserved.
And yet, Affleck’s Batman moments weren’t entirely without charm. His dry humor, bruised vulnerability, and weary sarcasm occasionally shone through. Remember the “Do you bleed?” callback? Superman asked him the same question, holding his head in a death grip. It was Affleck at his most human: scared, pitiful, and painfully relatable.
Behind the scenes, things weren’t much better. Fresh off his Argo success, Affleck joined the Bat-cowl at a career-high. But between the Live by Night bombing and Justice League’s troubled production, the spiral began. He had ambitions for a solo Batman film—one he’d star in and direct. But that dream evaporated, leaving his most famous turn as Batman tied to Snyder’s four-hour streaming cut.
By the time The Flash rolls around, Affleck will have played Bruce Wayne in more movies than any other actor. Yet, oddly, he feels like the Batman who played the least. No real villains. No love interest (unless you count booze and pills). It’s just a string of significant action set pieces in empty locations.
Affleck recently joked about being “Sad Batman” on Jimmy Kimmel, but there’s truth in the humor. His Batman reflected the turmoil of his life during those years—monstrous swagger giving way to broken confidence. It’s a strange legacy: part hero, part failure, all human.
The Batfleck era may be over, but if there’s one thing Affleck’s proved, it’s that comebacks are his superpower. Never count him out—especially when the big screen calls again.
