All 4 Movies Featuring Ben Affleck’s Batman, in Order
Batman is no doubt one of the most sought-after roles in Hollywood. There have been so many interpretations of the character dating back to his first live-action appearance in the 1940s. Multiple different actors have donned the cap and cowl, giving us a unique interpretation every single time.
One of the more notable actors in the role is Ben Affleck. When it was announced that Batman and Superman would be in the same movie together, audiences were beyond excited. While the reaction to the film was mixed, Affleck’s performance was praised, and he has appeared in four Batman projects since then. Here are all of Ben Affleck’s Batman appearances in order!
Ben Affleck’s Batman appearances in order
If you just want to get started and don’t have much time, here is the best order to start watching immediately!
- ‘Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice’ (2016)
- ‘Justice League’ (2017)
- ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ (2021)
- ‘The Flash’ (2023)
Now that we have briefly discussed the best order to watch Ben Affleck’s appearances as Batman let’s analyze it in more detail! If you’re interested in how these movies are connected, the significance of ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’, and how Affleck’s Batman evolved, stay with us and keep reading. Spoilers incoming!
Are Ben Affleck’s Batman movies connected? What’s the best way to watch them?
All of Ben Affleck’s movies as Batman are connected. However, there is a catch. Even though ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ is the director’s cut of the theatrical version. There are some major differences between both cuts of the film, with the director’s cut being Zack Snyder’s true vision of the film.
While the film’s events stay relatively the same, some play out differently, but these events don’t impact the other films he is in. The characterization is a little different in each film, but it does not impact his next appearance as the character.
The best order to watch the films is in release order. However, when it comes to both versions of ‘Justice League,’ you can watch both or pick one. Watching ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ may flow more seamlessly as it is a more accurate characterization of Ben Affleck’s Batman from the last version and is overall a better-written interpretation.
Ben Affleck’s Batman movies in chronological order
The release order is identical to the chronological order of Ben Affleck’s appearances. As said before, you can pick one or watch both with the two Justice League cuts. However ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ is more faithful to the characterization from his previous appearance.
1. ‘Batman V Superman’ (2016)
Fans went wild when it was announced that Batman and Superman would go head to head in the sequel to ‘Man of Steel.’ Ben Affleck’s version of the character was a lot more brutal than we had seen before and had a serious vendetta against Superman due to the destruction of Metropolis.
This was the first comic-accurate costume for Batman, taking heavy inspiration from Frank Miller’s ‘Dark Knight Returns’, giving fans something different than we had seen before. This version of Batman became much more hopeful by the film’s end after Superman gave his life to stop Doomsday, and he is inspired to start the Justice League.
2. ‘Justice League’ (2017)
Picking up right where ‘Batman V Superman’ left off, ‘Justice League’ has Batman recruiting other heroes to join the Justice League. Due to tragic events in Zack Snyder’s life, he had to step down from the project, and DC hired Joss Weadon to rework the script and reshoot almost the entire film.
This created a movie that was completely inconsistent in tone and character with the last two films. With a lot more humor added to match the MCU’s energy, ‘Justice League’ failed both critically and financially, with half the movie almost being erased. The plot is the same as Zack Snyder’s cut, but it is very different in tone and characterization, with big characters like Darkseid being cut.
3. ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ (2021)
In 2020, it was announced that Zack Snyder would finally be able to release his original vision for ‘Justice League.’ Fans were ecstatic, and he was able to film some new scenes and finish the CGI on scenes that had been cut from the film. The film has the same plot as the theatrical cut, but the tone is much more serious, with less corny jokes.
Batman is also much better in this version and is more in line with his characterization in ‘Batman V Superman’. Being one of the first releases on HBO MAX, this cut of the film was far better received than the theatrical cut and had fans desperate for more.
4. ‘The Flash’ (2023)
Ben Affleck’s final appearance as Batman was a bittersweet moment. While he only appears briefly in ‘The Flash,’ he had a great action-packed sequence as the Caped Crusader and also a few final moments as Bruce Wayne. The last time we see him is when he talks to Barry about time travel, but he is then replaced by Michael Keaton later in the film.
Where to watch the above-mentioned movies?
All of Ben Affleck’s Batman appearances can be found on MAX. Originally ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ was used to promote HBO MAX and other DC content. For the UK, ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ can be found on Now TV. You can also digitally purchase these films from Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
Will we get more of Ben Affleck’s Batman appearances?
With James Gunn’s new DCU, it is very unlikely that we see Ben Affleck’s Batman shortly. Gunn is rebooting the character as we know that his ‘Batman: The Brave and the Bold’ will have a completely new actor don the cape and cowl. We could maybe see him in an Elseworlds project at some point, but sadly, that wouldn’t be any time soon.
Do you want to see Ben Affleck come back as Batman? Let us know in the comments!
