Why Did Ben Affleck’s Friend Ask Him To Drop The Batman? (Photo Credit – Facebook)
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Ben Affleck’s journey as Batman? Let’s just say it had more drama than a Gotham City showdown. In a raw chat with The New York Times, Affleck peeled back the bat-mask and revealed the personal chaos that led him to ditch his Batman role. Turns out, it wasn’t just the grueling schedule or the pressure of directing—his battle with alcohol and a crumbling marriage played the real villains.
His split from Jennifer Garner in 2018 hit him hard. Affleck admitted, “I started drinking more when my marriage was falling apart.” And guess what? He was also juggling plans to direct, co-write, and star in The Batman. Talk about piling on the stress.
While fans were buzzing to see him in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Affleck’s reality was far from superhero-level. Memes of him looking down at press junkets were already viral. By 2017, he handed the reins of The Batman to Matt Reeves. Why? A friend didn’t hold back, saying, “You’ll drink yourself to death if you go through this again.”
Ben Affleck still made one last brief appearance as The Dark In Knight in The Flash (2023) before officially bowing out. The DC universe moved on, with Robert Pattinson taking over in Reeves’ revamped The Batman. Meanwhile, Affleck shifted his focus to rebuilding his life and career.
In 2020, he delivered one of his most personal performances in The Way Back, a raw story about a recovering alcoholic and basketball coach. Directed by Gavin O’Connor (The Accountant), the film hit close to home and showed Affleck at his most vulnerable. He also returned to his roots, co-writing The Last Duel with Matt Damon and signing up to direct King Leopold’s Ghost, proving his creative fire was far from extinguished.
Looking back, walking away from The Batman wasn’t just about career choices but survival. “There are things you regret,” Affleck admitted, “but sometimes walking away is the right move.” And for Affleck, trading Gotham for a fresh start might’ve been his best plot twist yet.
