Ending whole weeks of Internet speculation - weeks that saw everyone from Ryan Gosling to Michael Fassbender named as a possible successor to Christian Bale - Ben Affleck has been confirmed as the fifth big-screen Bruce Wayne (sixth if we include the great Adam West in the definitive 1966 Batman).
The Oscar winner will feature as the Caped Crusader in the sequel to Man of Steel. The film, due in 2015, will see Superman and Batman face off against each other. It will be directed by Zack Snyder, and is expected to be heavily inspired by Frank Miller’s classic comic series The Dark Knight Returns. Henry Cavill will reprise his role as Superman.
The announcement has already seen a mixed response from fans, although Affleck - who starred in a series of high-profile box office flops during the 2000s - has enjoyed a revised critical and audience reputation on the back of his directorial efforts (his most recent film Argo won Best Film at the last Oscars).
Rumours have often linked Affleck with the director role for the forthcoming Justice League movie: DC Comics’ attempt at an ensemble adventure featuring several of their most iconic superheroes. That film is not expected until 2017.
As of writing, there is no news on who will replace Affleck in the beloved, lucrative Daredevil franchise.
