Ben Affleck Drops Director Job On Upcoming ‘Batman’ Movie

It’s official: Ben Affleck will not be the director on the upcoming Batman standalone film, The Batman. Disappointed fans should take heart, however: Affleck will still star as Batman in the movie.

The 44-year-old star released the following statement confirming his departure as director:

“There are certain characters who hold a special place in the hearts of millions. Performing this role demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can give. It has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require. Together with the studio, I have decided to find a partner in a director who will collaborate with me on this massive film. I am still in this, and we are making it, but we are currently looking for a director. I remain extremely committed to this project, and look forward to bringing this to life for fans around the world.”

Affleck had also been working on the screenplay and script for the film. Interestingly, the statement released makes no mention of the script. There’s speculation that this omission means Affleck is also terminating his role as a scriptwriter. If that’s the case, the job would likely be left  for Geoff Johns, who had been cowriting it with Affleck.

As for who will take Affleck’s role as director, several names have been floating around, including Matt Reeves, Gavin O’Connor, Denis Villeneuve, Matt Ross and George Miller.

Die-hard fans will eagerly await Warner’s announcement of the next director, who hopefully will stick around for the entire production of the film.