Ben Affleck Was ‘Miserable' During ‘Justice League' Reshoots, Says He Never Wants to Direct a DC Film
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Ben Affleck has spoken about his “monstrous” experience working on the 2017 film Justice League, and how it convinced him to never direct a DC movie.
In a wide-ranging interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Affleck made it clear how his years as the Caped Crusader made him feel. “You could teach a seminar on all the reasons why this is how not to do it,” said Affleck, who played Bruce Wayne and Batman in multiple DC films. “Ranging from production to bad decisions to horrible personal tragedy, and just ending with the most monstrous taste in my mouth,” he said of his experience making Justice League.
The production of the film www plagued with issues, including l Warner Bros. demanding changes and the death of director Zack Snyder’s daughter Autumn. In place of Snyder, Warner Bros. hired Joss Whedon to handle post-production, as well as two months of reshoots. Some of the film’s cast, notably Ray Fisher and Gal Gadot, were vocal about Whedon’s abusive behavior on set.
Eventually, Snyder was able to make his version of Justice League in 2021, and Affleck looks back fondly on working with the director, who also helmed 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. “The genius, and the silver lining, is that Zack Snyder eventually went to AT&T and was like, ‘Look, I can get you four hours of content,’” recalled Affleck. “And it’s principally just all the slow motion that he shot in black-and-white. And one day of shooting with me and him. He was like, “Do you want to come shoot in my backyard?” I was like, ‘I think there are unions, Zack. I think we have to make a deal.’ But I went and did it. And now [Zack Snyder’s Justice League] is my highest-rated movie on IMDb.”
As for the fan reaction to Snyder’s version of Justice League, Affleck said it was interesting to see one of his own projects go “from nadir to pinnacle.” “All of a sudden I was getting congratulated for the bomb I’m in,” he added. “But I was going to direct a Batman, and [Justice League] made me go, ‘I’m out. I never want to do any of this again. I’m not suited.’ That was the worst experience I’ve ever seen in a business which is full of some shitty experiences. It broke my heart.”
He also mentioned in passing how Warner Bros. got Whedon in an attempt to course-correct Justice League, but it ultimately didn’t work out. “That was hard. And I started to drink too much,” he said. “I was back at the hotel in London, it was either that or jump out the window.” During the reshoots, Affleck was “miserable,” and started to lament his work when he was “just wearing a rubber suit.” He clarified that he doesn’t want to “condescend” or “put down” superhero films, but he reached a point where he “found it creatively not satisfying.”
Justice League.
The production of the film www plagued with issues, including l Warner Bros. demanding changes and the death of director Zack Snyder’s daughter Autumn. In place of Snyder, Warner Bros. hired Joss Whedon to handle post-production, as well as two months of reshoots. Some of the film’s cast, notably Ray Fisher and Gal Gadot, were vocal about Whedon’s abusive behavior on set.
Eventually, Snyder was able to make his version of Justice League in 2021, and Affleck looks back fondly on working with the director, who also helmed 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. “The genius, and the silver lining, is that Zack Snyder eventually went to AT&T and was like, ‘Look, I can get you four hours of content,’” recalled Affleck. “And it’s principally just all the slow motion that he shot in black-and-white. And one day of shooting with me and him. He was like, “Do you want to come shoot in my backyard?” I was like, ‘I think there are unions, Zack. I think we have to make a deal.’ But I went and did it. And now [Zack Snyder’s Justice League] is my highest-rated movie on IMDb.”
As for the fan reaction to Snyder’s version of Justice League, Affleck said it was interesting to see one of his own projects go “from nadir to pinnacle.” “All of a sudden I was getting congratulated for the bomb I’m in,” he added. “But I was going to direct a Batman, and [Justice League] made me go, ‘I’m out. I never want to do any of this again. I’m not suited.’ That was the worst experience I’ve ever seen in a business which is full of some shitty experiences. It broke my heart.”
He also mentioned in passing how Warner Bros. got Whedon in an attempt to course-correct Justice League, but it ultimately didn’t work out. “That was hard. And I started to drink too much,” he said. “I was back at the hotel in London, it was either that or jump out the window.” During the reshoots, Affleck was “miserable,” and started to lament his work when he was “just wearing a rubber suit.” He clarified that he doesn’t want to “condescend” or “put down” superhero films, but he reached a point where he “found it creatively not satisfying.
Asked if he would direct his own film for DC under James Gunn’s leadership if approached, he shot down the idea. “I would not direct something for the [James] Gunn DC. Absolutely not,” he said. “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.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Affleck spoke about his status as a meme-able celebrity. “At a certain point, I am who I am,” he said, noting that he didn’t mind that people found it funny that he looked like he was having a bad time at the Grammys. “I had a good time,” he said. “My wife was going, and I thought, ‘Well, there’ll be good music. It might be fun.’”
Read the full interview with Ben Affleck here.
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