Batmanis now available to be reinvented by a brand new director. Word broke last night thatBen Affleckhas decidednotto directthe standalone filmThe Batman, and will instead only produce and star in the upcoming DCEU feature. It was a somewhat surprising development, although it did feel like Affleck had been a little pressured to helm the movie in the first place. He spent the last two years hemming and hawing, saying theplanis for him to direct the film, and that he wouldn’t make the film unless the script was great. The script is, reportedly, not great, and so Warner Bros. is on the hunt for a new filmmaker to come in and spruce this thing up.
Given that Batman is one of the most popular superheroes of all time, and arguably the most successful onscreen superhero ever, there’s ample opportunity here for an exciting director to come in and not only revitalize the property, but give the DCEU a much-needed popularity boost. But who should take the helm? A veteran filmmaker whose proven his or her worth in the action realm? An up-and-coming indie director with ambition to spare? We’ve assembled a list of what we see as possible candidates, so peruse our list below and then vote in our poll at the very bottom with whoyouthink should be directing.
But first, a practicality note. Even though Affleck has left the director’s chair,The Batmanis still a priority property for Warner Bros. So while they will no doubt take their timing in getting the script right, WB still has shareholders to consider, andThe Batmanwill be getting off the ground sooner rather than later. So with that being said, a filmmaker who’s just gearing up to start production on another feature, with another year or year and a half of post-production to go, is not likely to make the cut. WB would ideally like to start filming this year, so whoever takes the helm needs to be free within the next couple of months to start prep work.
Gavin O’Connor
This is probably one of the likeliest candidates on the list.Gavin O’Connorhelmed Affleck inThe Accountantto solid results, and he’s certainly proven himself capable of handling action and character. He has a few other projects percolating at the moment, but he’s likely in Warner Bros.’ good graces, which helps.
David Fincher
Okay so this is the pie-in-the-sky choice.David Fincherand Affleck worked together onGone Girland churned out a tremendously entertaining thriller, but there’s no way Fincher doesThe Batmanunless it’s on his own terms. He’s an exacting filmmaker who isn’t afraid to walk away from a project if the studio doesn’t trust his vision, and WB is super on-edge at the moment. Fincher came close to tackling a blockbuster with Disney’s20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, but he left when he and the studio couldn’t see eye to eye on casting. But if Fincher was interested, and if Affleck had his back,The Batmancould justmaybework out.
Doug Liman
The Bourne IdentityfilmmakerDoug Limanis hip again thanks to the smashing success ofEdge of Tomorrow, and he’s fielding offers left and right. He most recently departed Fox’sGambitin favor of helming Warner Bros.’Justice League Dark, so he’s already attached to helm a DCEU movie. But if he were to change his mind, or if WB felt comfortable allowing his free-form style to meld with the Batman property, this could be an interesting marriage.
Matt Reeves
CloverfieldandDawn of the Planet of the ApesfilmmakerMatt Reeveswas one of the first names to surface as a potential replacement for Affleck, as he’s reportedly on the shortlist WB is mulling over. Reeves is currently in the last legs of post-production onWar for the Planet of the Apes, meaning he’s free soon, and he’s shown a deftness in weaving socio-political themes into a blockbuster feature, which is a plus.
Jennifer Kent
Jennifer Kentburst onto the scene in a big way with the thoughtful, unnervingThe Babadook, and while she doesn’t have experience in the action realm, she’s certainly an exciting filmmaker. One imagines she could bring out the darkness in Batman’s psyche quite well.
After working as a stunt coordinator and second unit director for years,Chad Stahelskimade his co-directing debut on the terrificJohn Wick. He just went solo forJohn Wick: Chapter 2and has a number of other projects percolating, including aHighlanderreboot, but if it’s high-end action you want in yourBatmanmovie, Stahelski’s your guy.
Gore Verbinski
Gore Verbinskiis one of the most versatile filmmakers working today. The director behind the massivePirates of the Caribbeantrilogy can seamlessly weave into genres like horror (The Ring) and Western (Rango) and churn out incredible movies, and whileThe Lone Rangerwas a misfire, this guy’s ambition and uniqueness of vision is something to behold. He’s back in Hollywood’s good graces with the psychological thrillerA Cure for Wellness, but imagining his return to a large canvas withThe Batmanis mighty exciting.
Gareth Evans
Gareth Evanshas yet to really capitalize on the success of hisThe Raidfilms, but one imagines he could bring a vitality toThe Batmanthat would certainly set the film apart.
Karyn Kusama
Karyn Kusamafirst delved into the action genre withAeon Flux, which was taken away from her in post-production and chopped to bits before release. She’s slowly made her way back with last year’s striking horror picTheInvitation, and it would certainly be interesting to see her return to large-scale blockbuster filmmaking with a new take on Batman.
The most surprising name to surface in the wake of Affleck’s exit wasMatt Ross, who most know as Gavin Belson on HBO’sSilicon Valley, but who wrote and directed last year’s beloved indieCaptain Fantastic. He’s apparently on WB’s shortlist, so he’s in the mix.
