Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Affleck faced own dark fight
SUPERHEROES are not alone in seeking redemption in the new Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice film. Actor Ben Affleck also wanted a do-over playing a superhero after being panned in Marvel’s 2003 film Daredevil.
“In the last superhero movie that I played, I was not happy with ( it),” Affleck, 43, said. “I just thought it was not up to what it should have been.”
In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which is in cinemas, Affleck becomes the latest A-list star to don Batman’s black mask and cowl, this time to take on Superman in the sequel to 2013’s Man of Steel.
The superheroes come to blows over responsibility for the controversial mass deaths of civilians in Man of Steel as the public wrestles with what kind of superheroes it really wants.
Affleck’s Batman and alter-ego, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne, is older than the previous on-screen iterations and also wearier, still scarred by the death of his parents and from fighting thugs in Gotham.
Numerous actors have donned the iconic batsuit, including Michael Keaton, George Clooney and most recently, Christian Bale in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight franchise from 2005 to 2012, which grossed more than $2 billion worldwide.
Affleck said he wanted to do a superhero movie “that really worked as a real, substantial, thoughtful movie,” and will continue the Batman role in three Warner Brothers films – Suicide Squad later this year, superhero ensemble The Justice League Part One in 2017 and The Justice League Part Two in 2019.
The casting of Affleck was dubbed “Batffleck” and initially received mixed reactions as fans debated whether he would live up to Bale’s acclaimed portrayal.
Affleck acknowledged he was “following in very big footsteps” and said his Batman is “a little bit more of a brawler, he’s more physical”. He said Batman also would be “contemplative” going forward.
“He’s sort of looking for something,” he said.
Affleck hopes Batman fans who were sceptical of him playing the caped crusader in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice realise how seriously he took the role.
“The most difficult thing about making this movie, honestly, was the physical aspect,” Affleck said on the red carpet for the film’s New York premiere at Radio City Music Hall.
Affleck said he wanted to be in shape, so he worked out hard.
“Having to be in the gym every day, six in the morning... I wasn’t used to that kind of workout regimen,” Affleck said. “Fans have come to expect that if you’re going to play a superhero, you got to look in the body like a superhero. I knew the camera was going to be looking at me and the guillotine was there so I knew I had to be ready.”
When Warner Brothers made the announcement nearly three years ago that Affleck would play Batman, some fans weren’t thrilled, and the backlash led to petitions asking the studio to remove him.
Eventually, it blew over, and the two-time Oscar winner feels proud to be part of the Batman legacy
Henry Cavill, who plays Superman, said Affleck’s Bruce Wayne harnessed “this jadedness, this world-weariness. It’s almost like there’s a core of justice there but surrounded by scar tissue”.
As Affleck is putting his own imprint on Batman, Cavill indicated he is not done putting his own twist on Superman. “We’re seeing the guy making mistakes, we’re seeing the guy having emotional reactions to stuff. When we get into those final development stages of Superman, then you’ll start to see my stamp on the character.”
Director Zack Snyder told New York Times in sizing up a possible adversary for Superman to fight in a sequel, he found himself irresistibly drawn to Batman.
“I wanted a Batman who had been Batman for 20 years,” he explained, “a war-weary Batman.”
“When you start thinking about the actors in that range, we came to Ben pretty quickly,” Snyder said, noting Affleck’s muscular build. “He’s a big guy. I’ve always been a fan of a large Batman.” – Reuters and ANA/AP