Why Ben Affleck as Batman is a Great Thing

Unless you've been living under a rock since last week, you might have heard Warner Bros. surprise announcement that Ben Affleck has been cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman in the tentatively titled Man of Steel follow-up, Batman vs. Superman.

This news was met with online outrage from both fanboys and fangirls, insisting Ben Affleck is an awful choice for the new Batman and started numerous petitions to have him replaced (one such petition even made it to the homepage of the White House).  Those involved, cited Affleck's 'no talent' as an actor, his 'wrong' look for the role, and even his own personality as not being fit to handle the role of the Dark Knight.

I for one (and I'm sure I'm not the only) found these criticisms to be absolutely ridiculous.

Ben Affleck may not be Daniel Day-Lewis when it comes to acting but the man is for sure a 'good' actor, having been nominated by many prestigious film organizations, including but not limited to:  BAFTA, Broadcast Film Critics Association, Chicago Film Critics Association, Golden Globes, Hollywood Film Festival, and Venice Film Festival.  To say Ben Affleck is a 'bad' actor is and of itself, incorrect, as many informed and educated professionals of the film industry think otherwise, individuals who know a thing or two about judging someone's talent as an actor.

As for his supposed 'wrong' look to play both Bruce Wayne/Batman, last I checked, Ben Affleck fits exactly the bill of what the character has always been described and illustrated as in both the comic books and graphic novels:  tall, dark, handsome, physically imposing, and of course, a square jaw.  In terms of physical characteristics, what is the difference again between himself and such fan favorites as Jim Caviezel and Jon Hamm?

Finally, the notion that Affleck's own personality doesn't possess that 'edginess' or 'toughness' to portray such a dark character as Batman.  Really?  Have these people not seen The Town?  Take away the Boston accent and short hairstyle, and that for damn sure seems a lot like how a badass, conflicted Bruce Wayne/Batman would be.

I think what many are not seeing though is the overall 'bigger picture' involved.

Look, ten years ago, Ben Affleck as Batman would be an absolute joke.  The man was making some awful films (Gigli, Paycheck, Surviving Christmas) and looked like just another young, fizzled out star in Hollywood.

However, this is where Affleck proved to be the exception.

He started directing, beginning with 2007's Gone Baby Gone (which he also wrote), continuing with 2010's The Town (which he also wrote and starred in), and just recently, last year's Academy Award winner for Best Picture, Argo (which he also helped write, produce, and of course, starred in too).

Affleck has now become a respected, multi-talented force in Hollywood.  And also, it should be no surprise that his acting abilities have much improved since he stepped behind the camera, attaining a better understanding of the film making process.

The fact that a talent such as Affleck will not only be playing Batman for at least the next 5-7 years, but also contributing creatively in terms of writing and directing his own 'solo' films, is a great thing for the Batman franchise.  It shows the character will continually be treated with both the respect and admiration it deserves by a quality film maker.

So for those people out there who are implying Ben Affleck being cast as Batman is somehow the worst thing that's ever happened in the history of mankind...common.  Stop being so ridiculous, take a step back, and actually look at how great a thing like this actually is.

July 2015 can't come soon enough.