Ben Affleck has strengthened a devoted fandom with his exceptional acting and filmmaking skills since the very start. From making noise in the industry with 1997’s Good Will Hunting to donning the Batman suit for DCU, he has done it all. However, not every great effort was recognized at first.
He had to go through intense criticism when he was announced as the new caped crusader in the franchise. It took a toll on him resulting in a breakdown after his casting which he chose to make his son proud!
Ben Affleck Faced Criticism for Playing Batman Role
Donning a superhero suit is an honor for many, but this could only be possible when fans recognize them. However, in the case of A-list actor, Ben Affleck, it was otherwise.
When Zack Snyder announced the Oscar-winning actor’s debut as the caped crusader in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, fans were not happy. Soon after the news, online commentators started bashing the entire idea of Affleck donning the Batsuit.
While the #BetterBatmanThanBenAffleck hashtag made its space on Twitter (now X), canon fans went to extreme lengths to oppose the decision. A petition was circulated urging Warner Brothers to denounce Ben Affleck from the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne.
The Gone Girl actor had to face severe backlash which started to subside after watching him in the 2016 film’s first trailer. However, it surely left a significant impact on The Town actor.
Ben Affleck Addressed Fans’ Critical Backlash on His Casting as Batman
Given that many fans have expressed their opposition to his casting, it eventually left him fazed. In an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, he admitted getting ‘hurt’ by fans’ rejections stating,
“I was hurt. I was less hurt than I would’ve been 10 years earlier. But I was hurt because I felt like ‘Wait a minute, come on. What do I got to do to you know what I mean? Like, I’m just you know, like, ‘Jesus Christ’ … I thought it was an interesting idea but you know what?”
He continued,
“I also realized at that point … it’s gonna be, ‘Now this turns into a petition.’ Now they got this thing, everybody’s going to do a petition. You’re really -– a hundred thousand [signatures], you signed a f***ing petition like, you have anything better to do with your day than sign petitions?”
He shared that he just wanted to do the project for his son stating,
“Ironically, the reason I did this is I wanted to do a movie for my kids, particularly my son, that they would see and be proud of.”
While the outcry was massive, fans eventually recognized the older caped crusader’s potential, who has become one of their favorites. However, he won’t play the DCU superhero any longer due to personal issues. Though, fans can enjoy his portrayal for the last time in Ezra Miller’s The Flash which is available on HBO Max.
Source: The Howard Stern Show
