Posted in: Movies | Tagged: Batman, Comics, dc, justice league, justice league 2, superhero, zack snyder

Ben Affleck's 'Batman' Pushes Out 'Justice League 2' For Zack Snyder Passion Project

Published Fri, 09 Dec 2016 18:45:03 -0600

It looks like there's been a slight change of plans on DC's Cinematic Universe slate of films. Rather than going from Justice League into Justice League 2, Zach Snyder is going to be letting Ben Affleck's solo Batman film cut in line so that he can run off and make The Last Photograph.

Ever since Zack was the golden boy after the success of 300, he has been wanting to take up the Kurt Johnstad-penned war drama. Unfortunately the project was delayed and the rights lapsed. Now it seems that Zack along with Deborah Snyder are in final talks with the Hollywood Gang to re-secure the rights. A question would be, why is DC shuffling it's schedule around even ahead of Zack finalizing his plans? Perhaps Affleck is just chomping at the bit to finally get his solo time (with him directing and acting, it still really has that Gilderoy Lockhart feel).

Photograph's storyline is described as:

Set in Afghanistan, it is a timely drama that has elements of The Searchers and Taken. Bale plays a war correspondent who witnesses and is the only survivor of an attack on a group of Americans. Penn is circling the role of a retired ex-special ops soldier who comes to the scene determined to free a family member who has been kidnapped. The journalist agrees to help identify the kidnappers and travel the rough terrain to find them, in exchange for the story. The road brings them in confrontation with tribal regions of Afghanistan, and none of the diplomats will help.

Back in 2011, Deadline reported that Sean Penn was getting close to signing on with Photograph, and that Christian Bale had been tapped to play the lead. On another upside it was to have been directed by Niels Arden Oplev (he had made the original Swedish version The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – yes, the good version). At this time however there is no cast officially associated with the production, and not even a finalized studio.

It does seem that moving Justice League 2 to 2019 and Batman to 2018 is what DC / Warner Bros. has been likely wanting to do, and they just tossed out whatever excuse seemed most suitable at the time. The level of pre-production, non-casting, and non-rights that Photograph appears to have wouldn't yet warrant a schedule move, unless Zack just really wanted some time away from caped crusaders, or DC wanted Batfleck first.

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