Ben Affleck Calls Justice League a Low Point in His Career

Before Robert Pattinson took on the role of the Dark Knight in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, Ben Affleck donned the cape and cowl. Affleck was initially set to direct, produce, co-write, and star in his own standalone Batman film, but he eventually stepped back, paving the way for Pattinson and Reeves to create their “Epic Crime Saga.” As a result, Affleck’s portrayal was limited to 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017’s Justice League, with a brief appearance in 2023’s The Flash.

In a recent interview, Affleck shared his thoughts on why he likely won’t reprise the role of Batman and reflected on his experience filming Justice League, which he described as a “low point” in his acting career.

The production of Justice League was fraught with challenges, and Affleck characterized it as “so, so negative” during his appearance on a podcast. At the time, he was dealing with personal issues, including struggles with alcoholism and a divorce. The film’s original director, Zack Snyder, stepped away in May 2017 following a family tragedy. Warner Bros. brought in another director to complete post-production and oversee two months of reshoots.

Affleck noted the pitfalls of a production where the studio and filmmaker are at odds, stating, “You’re really making a mistake.” He pointed to the tension between Warner Bros. and Snyder, especially after Snyder’s previous DC film, Batman v Superman, received a poor reception. Affleck expressed relief that Snyder was able to return to the project in his own way with the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League in 2021.

Much of Justice League was reshot, and cast members have spoken out about their negative experiences on set. Affleck described those reshoots as “shitty” and “the low point” of his career, reflecting on the overall environment and the troubling experiences shared by his co-stars. He remarked, “It was just like, ‘Wow, this is about as gross as it gets.'”

Affleck also criticized how Snyder’s personal tragedy was used as a reason for his departure from the film, calling it “one of the shittiest things I’d ever seen.” Reports indicated that Warner Bros. had actually fired Snyder before he publicly announced his exit.

Since then, Whedon’s career has faced significant setbacks following allegations of harassment and abuse from various actors. Meanwhile, Snyder has continued to work on projects for Netflix, including the Rebel Moon series. Affleck’s recent film, Animals, has become a streaming success on the platform.

What was intended to be DC’s shortcut into a cinematic universe ultimately fell short.