Ben Affleck rules out directing for James Gunn’s DC Universe

Ben Affleck recently opened up on directing a film in James Gunn’s DC Universe. The actor, who has portrayed the role of Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, refused to entertain any idea of him directing a DC film. 

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Affleck said, “I would not direct something for the [James] Gunn DC. Absolutely not. I have nothing against James Gunn. Nice guy, sure he’s going to do a great job. I just wouldn’t want to go in and direct in the way they’re doing that. I’m not interested in that.”

This contradicts with Gunn’s previous statement on Twitter when he said that he "met with Ben [yesterday] precisely because he wants to direct & we want him to direct; we just have to find the right project."

In the official announcement of DC Studios' plans, Gunn made another reference to Affleck. At the time, Gunn stated that Ben Affleck will not be appearing in The Brave and The Bold but added that he "has been a part of our team." 

DC’s brand-new slate 

According to James Gunn, the plan for DC’s next few years of content includes characters and storylines which have never before graced the big screen. Superman: Legacy, The Authority, Swamp Thing, Batman’s The Brave and The Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and more are slated for development in the coming years. 

The DC Universe just saw the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which features actor Zachary Levi as the titular hero. Other DC films slated for a 2023 release are The Flash, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Matt Reeves’ The Batman II, which will feature Robert Pattinson in the role of the Dark Knight once again, is currently under development.