Ten years ago today, I can still remember what was easily one of the most exciting moments of my life. It was when I learned that Ben Affleck was destined to take up the mantle as the next big-screen Batman.
The news had been all over the Internet for weeks prior, as rumors and images had been swirling around the web like wildfire. Everyone was speculating as to who would be the next Dark Knight and it was finally revealed that the man behind the cowl was going to be none other than the star of such films like ”Good Will Hunting”, ”Bounce” and ”Gigli” – none other than the one and only, Ben Affleck.
I had been an avid Batman fan growing up, so the news was thrilling to me, to say the least. Little did I know, that with Affleck in the role, we were in for an amazing new version of the superhero.
And so, the day I found out, I immediately went to the local comic book store in my hometown and bought as many comic books with Ben Affleck’s Batman on the cover as I could. It was surreal to be reading and seeing what the new Dark Knight was going to look like.
Of course, the movies that followed – ”Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” ”Justice League,” and ”The Batman” – have all since been met with equal parts praise and criticism. But regardless of the opinion, Ben Affleck has proven to be a concrete fixture in the Batman universe.
And so, as we look back on the 10 year anniversay of when I first learned of Ben Affleck as Batman, I cannot help but think of the pure excitement that I experienced on that day.
And although the years have passed, I still cherish the buzz surrounding Ben Affleck’s iconic entrance to the superhero world — a feeling that I’ll never forget.
