‘The Batman’: Plans for Matt Reeves to direct come to a halt
Just one week after The Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves landed an offer to direct The Batman from a script by Ben Affleck, Geoff Johns, and a recent polish by Chris Terrio, negotiations have stalled.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.
According to a source at Warner Bros., talks could resume if both sides are willing to make some concessions. The film is a priority for the studio, and it has no trouble moving on to another director should the two parties fail at making a deal.
Reeves, who is finishing up the Planet of the Apes sequel War for the Planet of the Apes, was asked to take over the directing reins after Affleck bowed out of the gig due to the enormous demands of handling both jobs.
In a statement at the time, Affleck said, in part, “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.”
According to a source, all parties including Affleck seemed to share a similar creative vision with Reeves early on, and it’s unclear why the talks fell apart.
Director shuffles have become common on Warner Bros. DC Entertainment movies. The studio recently parted ways with The Flash director Rick Famuyiwa.
