Rumor: Ben Affleck’s Role In The DCU Uncertain As Batman Cameo In ‘Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom’ Is Reportedly Cut
JB Augustine
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Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom had a new test screening recently where the scores are good but there is more news emerging from it coming from multiple sources that is bad for one of the film’s guest stars. We are learning that Ben Affleck might not reprise his lauded portrayal of the Dark Knight despite the fanfare his unexpected return received.
Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) and Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) meet for the first time in Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021), Warner Bros Pictures
Once the actor/director was seen on the Warner Bros. lot with Jason Momoa, who plays Aquaman in the upcoming superhero movie, the Bat was out of the bag and the latter star joyfully revealed on Instagram Affleck put on the cowl one more time for a cameo. It was suspected he was filling in for Michael Keaton who, until lately, was pegged as the replacement Batman for the extended universe.
An outcome set up by The Flash, it’s all changing under the management of David Zaslav and Warner Bros. Discovery and they may have changed their minds about Affleck as well as Keaton. This is what Twitter user @Z_Zz0zz (TwoFace – TF) indicates on social media. The user alleges Affleck’s start-up production company is hindering negotiations with the studio so “no Batman in the latest cut of Aquaman 2.”
@Z_Zz0zz weighs in on Ben Affleck’s role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom via Twitter
“Due to Ben Affleck’s movements in the creation of the new production company with Matt Damon, Negotiations for Ben Affleck to return to suit permanently in dcu have been frozen,” TF claims. “So there is no Batman in the latest cut of [Aquaman] 2.” The scooper adds a “recast is being considered” as improbable as that sounds.
Whatever choice WBD makes, or whoever, The Batman star Robert Pattinson won’t be part of the equation, TwoFace says, theorizing, “the chances of Robert Pattison taking over the dcu are slim as it would destroy everything Matt Reeves established in the batman,” further adding, “such an idea is described as an ‘affront’ to the creators of the batman universe.”
@Z_Zz0zz weighs in on Ben Affleck’s role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom via Twitter
TF was soon asked their sources and after saying “Me,” the account then claimed they have “colleagues who are involved with DC.” Clearly, names are protected for the sake of privacy whether or not the claims can be substantiated, but that isn’t stopping comments from accusing TwoFace of making things up — which is a reasonable reaction.
@Z_Zz0zz weighs in on Ben Affleck’s role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom via Twitter
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After invoking “colleagues,” the TF account dug in their heels and noted that the Affleck news is a scoop that they don’t get money or fame from reporting. “I don’t need to prove anything, there’s no one, I don’t make money from it and I don’t even get fame,” TwoFace wrote, and they are not alone either.
@Z_Zz0zz weighs in on Ben Affleck’s role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom via Twitter
Aside from this one Twitter account, other more reputable sources are backing up the story. One of them is noteworthy exclusive breaker KC Walsh of Geeks WorldWide, who hears and reports the same thing about Affleck – with the addendum Willem Dafoe won’t be back either but we’re stuck with Amber Heard. “Heard is unchanged, no Affleck no DaFoe,” Walsh clarified.
We previously reported Heard was staying in Aquaman 2 to fulfill critical action sequences and scenes that wouldn’t be at all practical or the same without her. Walsh is corroborating this as well as this latest bit that Ben Affleck won’t be given the same courtesy, and neither will a Batman. “He wasn’t in the movie,” Walsh later tweeted.
@TheComixKid weighs in on rumours about Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom via Twitter
Not wanting to give anything away since the movie doesn’t come out for another year, Walsh would only say, “Without spoiling anything I’ll just say they cut a major scene and it appears the Bruce Wayne scene is no longer necessary.” He gloats about this development a little earlier in his thread “as bad news for YouTube grifters.
@TheComixKid claims Ben Affleck is not in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom via Twitter
Walsh’s reveal is also supported by scooper MyTimeToShineHello who has either seen it or received word from a screening of what’s in the current cut of Lost Kingdom. “A little update: There was no Bruce in it at all and they changed stuff around so he is no longer necessary to the plot,” he tweeted in an amendment to an earlier post.
In the prior tweet, MyTimeToShineH responded to a post by The DC Syndicate claiming an old cut of Aquaman 2 is being screened and not a new one. “It wasn’t an older cut and that’s not how it works,” he said in contradiction, adding “They probably shot that scene with Affleck,” just in case The Flash came out first.
@MyTimeToShineH explains why Ben Affleck is not in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom via Twitter
That is no longer the case and it seemed for a while like Aquaman 2 would keep Keaton and remove Affleck now that the slate is reshuffled and Lost Kingdom will follow The Flash’s summer release on Christmas 2023. Between that and the collating plans James Gunn and Peter Safran have for the DCU, no Kingdom wants a Batman even if fans do.
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