Ben Affleck is Batman In Man of Steel Sequel. Uh, say that again???

That’s right folks, Daredevil is Batman.

After weeks of casting speculation, Warner Bros. officially  announced today that Affleck would be The Dark Knight in the upcoming Man Of Steel Sequel aka the Superman/Batman movie directed by Man of Steel director Zach Snyder.

The announcement was made by Warner Bros. heads Greg Silverman and Sue Kroll.

Silverman said “We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics’ most enduringly popular Super Heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some. His outstanding career is a testament to his talent and we know he and Zack will bring new dimension to the duality of this character.”

Snyder had this to say:

“Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman. He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can’t wait to work with him.”

There has been rampant speculation on who would be the new Batman ever since the project was announced at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con; Could Warner Bros convince Christian Bale to sign back on? Or how about Josh Brolin? Ryan Gosling was also a possibility.

I have to say when I close my eyes and think Batman, Ben Affleck is the last person to come to my mind. Does anyone remember his stiff, wooden performance in Daredevil? Yeesh. And Affleck has also played Superman in the past (kinda sorta). This is getting confusing.

Affleck has redeemed his tepid acting career through his directorial work. Argo was a great movie, and The Town wasn’t bad either. But when you think badass anti-hero  Batman from Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns (which is the basis for the new movie), he seems an odd fit.

I wrote my Justice League dream cast a few weeks back and really wanted Michael C Hall from Dexter in the role. But I ain’t working for Warner Bros. so that dream is dead. Personally I was more enthused by the rumor Affleck would be directing that movie, than I am for him playing the caped crusader.

So are you cautiously optimistic about Affleck as the new Batman? Disappointed?  Just going to wait and see how it’s all going to turn out? Comment below.