Actor-director Ben Affleck, according to Deadline, is going to direct and star in a solo "Batman" film and he will also be writing the screenplay alongside DC comics veteran Geoff Johns. In a report from Heroic Hollywood, Johns and Affleck will have the Batman screenplay turned in by this summer.
Deadline states that the film will be released sometime after "Justice League: Part Two" and it appears that the studios will allow Affleck to work on his other film, "Live By Night," before bringing him on for the solo Batman film.
"Live By Night" is expected to enter production this November and Affleck is set to write, direct, and star in the film as well. The film's production was pushed back so that Affleck could focus on "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" first.
Johns is the current Chief Creative Officer for DC Entertainment and was the man who spearheaded the "New 52" project for DC Comics. He is known for writing several popular DC comic book storylines such as "Court of Owls" and "Batman: Earth One" as well as contributing his work for DC television shows like "Smallville," "Arrow," and "The Flash."
Affleck is primarily known as a big Hollywood star but he is also a highly acclaimed writer and director. He wrote the screen play for "Good Will Hunting," "Gone Baby Gone," and "The Town." He directed the latter two and he also directed "Argo," which won Best Picture at the 2013 Academy Awards.
Affleck will appear as Batman in 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and will reprise the role for "Suicide Squad" and the two-part "Justice League" films before heading on with the solo Batman flick.
