Ben Affleck is dropping out as director of the "Batman" standalone movie, sources confirm. Warner Bros. is still on the lookout for Affleck's replacement.
Rumors began circulation last month that Affleck would be stepping down from the director's seat for "The Batman," Variety reports. It was only recently that Affleck himself confirmed the reports and explained his decision.
"Performing this role demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can give. It has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require," Affleck stated. However, the two-twin Oscar winner is still on board as producer and actor.
It was previously claimed that one the reasons that propelled Warner Bros. decision is the huge loss it incurred from Affleck's latest gangster movie "Live by Night." The movie was not a stunner at the box office, and caused Warner Bros. to lose some $75 million. The claim has since been denied by the studio.
Warner Bros. has not issued a statement as to Affleck's successor, but there are rumblings that "War of the Planet of the Apes" director Matt Reeves is a top choice to direct.
Meanwhile, the solo "Batman" outing already has a script written by Affleck and Geoff Johns, the latter having acted as executive producer on "Batman v Superman" and is heavily favored by Warner Bros. to co-lead the DC Extended Universe.
More recently Affleck and Geoff's script received a re-write from Chris Terrio, who received an Oscar for his work on "Argo," The Independent reports. Despite the acclaim, Terrio is not a favorite among comicbook fans for his butchered re-write on David S. Goyer's "Batman v. Superman" script.
The changes involving "The Batman" doesn't present a good picture to fans, and the Internet is abuzz with discussions about potential problems surrounding the film.
Affleck's "The Batman" movie is expected to be released in spring 2018.
