Batman Star Ben Affleck Says Justice League Reshoots Were the Lowest Point of His Career
Ben Affleck has criticized Warner Bros. for their handling of Justice League, calling the reshoots and production experience the lowest point of his career. Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the actor explained how the turbulent filming process turned him away from continuing with the DC Universe, despite initial excitement about his planned solo Batman film that would have featured Joe Manganiello as Deathstroke.
Affleck portrayed Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017), and briefly reprised the role in 2023’s The Flash. He had been set to direct, produce, co-write, and star in his own Batman project, but ultimately stepped away from the role. The Justice League production was notably difficult, with Affleck describing it as “so, so negative.”
His departure from the Batman role opened the door for Robert Pattinson and director Matt Reeves to launch their own vision with The Batman, starting what Reeves described as an “Epic Crime Saga.” Affleck’s comments highlight the significant production challenges that plagued Justice League, which required extensive reshoots and went through directorial changes when Joss Whedon took over for Zack Snyder late in production.
The actor’s candid remarks shed light on how the troubled Justice League production impacted his career trajectory and enthusiasm for the DC Universe, ultimately derailing what could have been a major chapter in the Batman franchise under his creative direction.