Here's Why Ben Affleck Was Hesitant To Play An 'Older' Batman

A lot of haters doubted Ben Affleck's Batman when his casting was first announced in 2013. But they weren't the only ones; the actor even second-guessed the role.

In a new "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" cover story for Empire magazine, Affleck explains why he was hesitant to take on the Caped Crusader at first. "Initially I thought, 'I'm older, it doesn't seem like the right sort of fit for me,'" Affleck told the magazine, via Comic Book Movie. But director Zack Snyder reassured his star that an aged Batman was exactly what he was looking for. "Then Zack pitched me his concept for this older, more broken, kind of f**ked up Batman," Affleck recalled. "It was something we haven't seen."

This is hardly news though, since Affleck previously recalled this story during his stop at San Diego Comic-Con earlier this month, telling the audience how Snyder described the superhero as a "burn-out." But we now have a few more details on what to expect from the new Batman in "Dawn of Justice." The filmmaker confirmed that Affleck's Batman will be about "45 or 46" years old and is "having a crisis of conscience." The protector of Gotham is also the villain of the new movie at one point. Snyder revealed that when it comes to the Batman and Superman showdown, fans will have to choose sides on who the real purveyor of justice is.

Head over to Empire for new photos of Batman, Superman and Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor. The latest issue of Empire is on newsstands now.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” hits theaters March 25, 2016.

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