The Batman

Here's Who Will Replace Ben Affleck As Director Of 'The Batman' Movie

Sooooooo... will it be good?

Wednesday, March 1, 2017 - 17:11

With Ben Affleck having vacated the director’s chair last month, DC has bagged a replacement helmer for The Batman, with Cloverfield’s Matt Reeves set to head up the Dark Knight’s new solo movie.

Warner Bros.

It’s a bit of a surprise as talks between studio and director had reportedly broken down just a week ago, but it looks like everything’s now been sorted, with Reeves sounding hyped to put his stamp on DC’s main man. “I have loved the Batman story since I was a child,” said the director. “He is such an iconic and compelling character, and one that resonates with me deeply. I am incredibly honored and excited to be working with Warner Bros. to bring an epic and emotional new take on the Caped Crusader to the big screen."

Warner Bros.

However, Bat-Fleck fans will be pleased to hear the film’s leading man isn’t going anywhere, with Warner confirming he’s still attached to play Bruce Wayne. As Affleck said when he stepped down as director, “I remain extremely committed to this project, and look forward to bringing this to life for fans around the world.” So that’s a relief.

Co-starring Joe Manganiello and J.K. Simmons, The Batman is expected to open at some point in 2018, with an exact release date yet to be revealed.

- By George Wales @GeorgeWales85

26 Of The Biggest Oscars SHOCKS Ever

The 2017 Oscars were plunged into chaos when La La Land won the coveted Best Picture award. Then un-won it, when it turned out Moonlight was the correct winner. Most awks Academy Award ever?

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Best bros Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's Best Original Screenplay win for Good Will Hunting in 1998 shocked everyone (including themselves) when they beat the likes of Boogie Nights and As Good as it Gets to win the award.

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Whilst no one would argue that Rocky isn’t a classic, a lot of people weren't happy to see the Italian Stallion beat DeNiro’s Taxi Driver to win Best Picture at the 1977 Oscars.

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Adrien Brody not only surprised everyone in attendance when he beat four previous Oscar winners to win Best Actor at the 2003 Oscars for his role in The Pianist, he also became the youngest winner in history to win the award.

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Though definitely a classic in its own right, Forrest Gump winning the Best Picture Oscar in 1995 over Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption still shocked many at the time.

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With the 2003 Best Picture Oscar hotly contested between Chicago and Gangs of New York, director Roman Polanski's win for his work on The Pianist came out of nowhere to surprise everyone.

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In an impressive field that included Edward Norton, Nick Nolte, Ian McKellen, and Tom Hanks (for Saving Private Ryan), Life Is Beautiful's chair-climbing Roberto Benigni shocked everyone to win Best Actor at the 1999 Oscars.

New Films International

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Rarely has a child won, but at only 11 years old Anna Paquin did exactly that when she beat out Emma Thompson, Winona Ryder, Rosie Perez, and her co-star Holly Hunter to win Best Actress at the 1994 Oscars for her performance in The Piano.

Miramax

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Marisa Tomei's Best Supporting Actress win in 1993 for comedy My Cousin Vinny was deemed so shocking an Oscar urban myth was spawned that claims presenter Jack Palance actually read the wrong name when he announced the winner.

Fox

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Whilst Gone With The Wind swept the 1940 Oscars, winning for Best Picture, best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress, it’s male star Clark Gable lost the Best Actor Oscar to Goodbye, Mr. Chips star Robert Donat.

MGM

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Whilst the internet has yet to forget Gwyneth Paltrow’s tearful acceptance speech, you might need reminding that her Best Actress win for Shakespeare in love at the 1999 Oscars was over Cate Blanchett's impressive turn in Elizabeth.

Universal

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Even with Gwyneth winning her category earlier in the evening, no one could have expected Shakespeare In Love to go one better and actually win the Best Picture award over Spielberg's epic war film Saving Private Ryan - but it did.

Universal

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Did anyone realistically expect Francis Ford Coppola to not win the Best Director Oscar in 1972 for The Godfather?! Instead, Bob Fosse who directed Cabaret won.

Paramount

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Beatrice Straight was just as shocked as everyone else in the audience when she won the 1977 Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in Network which lasts only five minutes. Her performance to date remains the shortest ever to win an Oscar.

MGM

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It’s A Wonderful Life may have lost out on the Best Picture and Best Director awards to The Best Years Of Our Lives at the 1947 Oscars, but at least it can take consolation in the fact that most of the world watches it religiously every Christmas.

Liberty Films

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Crash beating iconic cowboy love story Brokeback Mountain to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 2006 will remain one of the greatest Academy Award shockers for years to come.

Entertainment Film

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Driving Miss Daisy drove all the way to a shock Best Picture win in 1990, beating the likes of Born on the Fourth of July, Dead Poets Society and Field of Dreams!

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Even Dolly Parton looked elated when rap group Three Six Mafia surprised everyone to beat her Transamerica song Travelin' Thru to win the Best Original Song Oscar in 2007 for their Hustle and Flow hit, It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp.

MTV Films

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Are we ready to talk about Leonardo DiCaprio’s shocking snub at the 1998 Oscars, where he failed to receive a nomination for his iconic turn as doomed lover Jack Dawson in James Cameron’s epic blockbuster Titanic?! No, we are not.

Fox

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Nor are we able to articulate are disappointment at Judy Garland NOT being nominated in 1940 for her performance as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz. Are you kidding us?!!

MGM

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What’s even more shocking is that Jack Nicholson also failed to picked up a nomination for his now iconic role as Jack Torrance in 1980s horror classic The Shining. WTF…

Warner Bros.

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Though it is regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, Citizen Kane did not in fact win the Best Picture Oscar in 1941. The honour instead went to British drama How Green Was My Valley.

RKO Radio Pictures

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The look on Lauren Bacall’s face said it all after losing the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1997 to Juliette Binoche, who won for her role in The English Patient. Bacall even wrote about it in her memoir, blaming Harvey Weinstein for her loss.

Sony

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Even an American classic like A Streetcar Named Desire couldn't catch a break at the 1952 Oscars, losing out on the Best Picture Oscar to musical An American in Paris.

Warner Bros.

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Nor could its star Marlon Brando, who lost that same year to Humphrey Bogart who won Best Actor for his role in The African Queen.

Warner Bros.

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Martin Scorcese’s 90s crime drama Goodfellas may be regarded as one of the modern greats today, but at the 1991 Oscars the night belonged to Kevin Costner who took home the Best Picture Oscar for Dances With Wolves.

Warner Bros.

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21 LGBT Movies Everyone Should See

Brokeback Mountain (2005): We dare you not to cry for a week after watching Ang Lee's heartbreaking drama about two cowboys who must keep their love for each other - over the course of several years - a secret.

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Looking: The Movie (2016): HBO’s short-lived gay drama is given a fitting goodbye in this 90 minute special that follows Patrick as he returns to San Francisco in search of closure regarding his relationships with former lovers Richie and Kevin.

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Stranger by the Lake (2014): A French thriller set in a popular gay cruising-spot that asks the question; What are you prepared to turn a blind eye to in the pursuit of getting your rocks off.

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All About My Mother (1999): A humorous, emotional, and heartfelt story from acclaimed director Pedro Almodóvar that portrays transsexual and transgender living in a sympa-thetic and sensitive way.

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Weekend (2011): Andrew Haigh’s critically acclaimed film that follows a brief romance between two men - over the course of one weekend - is a modern classic that will leave you pining for a similar connection next time you’re out on the pull.

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A Single Man (2009): Tom Ford’s seriously stylish directorial debut follows an English professor played by Colin Firth as he struggles to find meaning in his life after the death of his long time partner.

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Tomboy (2011): A touching French drama that deals with childhood gender confusion in a refreshingly low-key way.

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Girlhood (2014): Céline Sciamma’s follow-up to Tomboy set in the Paris suburbs that also happens to feature a memorable lip sync of Rihanna's "Diamonds" is a classic coming of age story told through the eyes of a young black girl named Marieme.

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Monster (2004): Charlize Theron's Oscar-winning turn as serial killer Aileen Wuornos isn't an easy watch but her commitment to the part which sees her explore a lesbian relationship with Christina Ricci’s character Selby is essential viewing.

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My Own Private Idaho (1992): Gus Van Sant's 90s loose reworking of Henry IV follows a pair of gay street hustlers (played by Keanu Reeves and the late River Phoenix) as they embark on a journey of self discovery.

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Moonlight (2016): This coming of age drama that chronicles the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood is already receiving some major Oscar buzz with critics calling it a visual masterpiece. Its UK release is planned for February.

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The Kids Are All Right (2010): Lisa Cholodenko's lesbian drama follows a teenage girl and her younger brother as they try to track down their biological father much to the an-noyance of their mothers.

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Tangerine (2015): A dramedy about a trangender sex worker who discovers after being released from prison that her boyfriend has been cheating on her with a cis woman was definitely our favourite film last year to be shot entirely on an iPhone 5s.

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Pariah (2011): Writer-director Dee Rees’s teen drama - which impressed Meryl Streep enough to give the film and its lead Adepero Oduye a shoutout at the 2012 Golden Globes - tells the story of Alike, a 17-year-old teenager embracing her sexuality.

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The Pass (2016): Russell Tovey and Arinze Kene play two professional football players who share a kiss in their hotel room the night before their first big game in this movie ad-aptation of John Donnelly’s critically-acclaimed play.

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King Cobra (2016): Disney star Garrett Clayton sheds his wholesome image (and his clothes) to play real-life gay porn star Brent Corrigan in this sleazy, sexy, and tense thriller that will appeal to fans of Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers.

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Blue Is The Warmest Color (2013): This electrifying French drama famed for its explicit sex scenes centres on a 15-year-old girl named Adèle who falls for an older “blue-haired” art student named Emma.

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Free Fall (2013): This emotionally-charged German drama that follows a soon-to-be-father who falls for a fellow police officer will leave you feeling more breathless than the main character: who fyi spends most of the movie jogging.

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Carol (2015): Todd Hayes’s lesbian romance about an aspiring photographer who de-velops an intimate relationship with an older woman earned rave reviews and a pair of Oscar nominations for its leading lady’s Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.

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Boys Don’t Cry (1999): Oscar winner Hilary Swank (in her most memorable role to date) plays trans man Brandon Teena in this moving true-life story that helped to open up a widespread dialogue about gender identity.

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Pride (2015): Based on the true story about a group of gay activists who worked tirelessly to help miners during their lengthy strike of the National Union of Mineworkers in the summer of 1984, this British comedy will make you feel all the feels.

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Iconic Film Roles That Were Nearly Played By Other Actors

Reese Witherspoon, Kirsten Dunst, Cameron Diaz, Alicia Silverstone - Just about every actress in Hollywood passed on playing Mia Thermopolis in ‘The Princess Diaries’ before Anne Hathaway nabbed her first ever film role.

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Sarah Michelle Gellar - Alicia Silverstone may have been the perfect embodiment of a clueless teenager, but a pre-Buffy SMG was actually the first choice to play Cher Horowitz in the 1995 classic. Scheduling conflicts made her turn the role down.

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Matt Damon - His breakout role in ‘Avatar’ put him on the A-list, but it could have all been so different for Sam Worthington had Damon not turned down the role of Jake Sully to star in ‘Green Zone’ instead.

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Harrison Ford - Spielberg made the revelation during a Q&A session that Ford was his first choice to play Dr. Alan Grant in ‘Jurassic Park’. For Sam Neil’s sake the actor, fortunately, turned the role down.

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Sandra Bullock - If the internet is to be believed, Bullock was originally considered for the role of Dr. Ellie Grant in the dinosaur blockbuster before losing out to Laura Dern.

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Liam Neeson - Neeson turned down the iconic role of James Bond over two decades ago after his late wife Natasha Richardson told him that she would not marry him if he took the part. “I had to take that on board because I did want to marry her.”

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Jennifer Lawrence - It turns out all our lives could have been very different had Lawrence’s audition for the part of Bella in the ‘Twilight’ series had gone better than it did for Kristen Stewart.

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Robin Williams - Harry Potter fan Williams was vocal about the time he lobbied to play Hagrid in the movie franchise but was turned down because of his nationality, with J.K. Rowling insisting on British actors being cast in the films.

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Macauley Culkin and Angelina Jolie - Of all the actors and actresses considered to play Jack and Rose in James Cameron’s blockbuster classic ‘Titanic’, its the prospect of ‘Home Alone’s’ Kevin painting Jolie in the nude that has us most wide-eyed.

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Tom Cruise - Thanks to his now iconic underwear dance sequence in ‘Risky Business’, Cruise was an obvious first choice to play Ren McCormack in the 1984 musical ‘Footloose’ but was unavailable due to filming ‘All the Right Moves’ at the time.

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Tom Cruise - It’s hard to believe now, but Cruise was also once earmarked to play Tony Stark in ‘Iron Man’. Oddly, his strange request to have his face shown at all times in the film through a transparent visor is apparently what lost him the role.

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Al Pacino - Harrison Ford has this acting legend to thank for his breakout role as Han Solo in ‘Star Wars’ after Pacino - the studio’s first choice - turned down the role due to not understanding the film’s script whatsoever.

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Russell Crowe - According to Jackman, Crowe was actually Bryan Singer’s first choice to play Wolverine, but after turning the role down he suggested his mate for the part instead.

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Sarah Harding - The Girls Aloud singer is said to have got called back three times for ‘X-Men: First Class’ before eventually losing out to January Jones who plays super chill villain Emma Frost in the film. Yes, really.

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Gwen Stefani - Speaking with Howard Stern on his SiriusXM show, Stefani revealed that she had auditioned for the role of Mrs Smith in ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ and ALMOST got it. Imagine all the possibilities for what the world might look like now if she had

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John Travolta - Admitting more recently that it was a stupid decision, Travolta is said to have accepted the role of Forrest Gump before dropping it. Tom Hanks went on to win an Academy Award for “Best Actor” for his performance in the film.

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Leonardo DiCaprio - Though he was Paul Thomas Anderson’s first choice to play Dirk Diggler, DiCaprio turned down the part to star in a little movie called ‘Titanic’. The actor has since admitted that his biggest regret is turning down ‘Boogie Nights’.

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Leonardo DiCaprio - Fresh off his ‘Titanic’ success, producers were keen for DiCaprio to play the lead in ‘American Psycho’. The director hated that idea though as she had always envisioned Christian Bale playing the narcissistic serial killer.

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David Schwimmer - The Friends star was originally offered the role of Agent J in ‘Men In Black’ (before it went to Will Smith) but had to turn it down when he found out filming would conflict with directing his first film.

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Jack Nicholson - One of Al Pacino’s most iconic roles as Michael Corleone in ‘The Godfather’ was nearly played by Nicholson who dropped out of the film after feeling like the role wasn’t quite right for him.

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Bill Murray - With Warner Brothers originally wanting Tim Burton’s ‘Batman’ films to be a total camp-fest like the old TV series, Murray was originally the first choice to play the caped crusader before Michael Keaton eventually bagged the role.

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Anne Hathaway - Jennifer Lawrence might have needed to wait a little longer to win her first Academy Award had Hathaway not dropped out of ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ early on due to “creative differences” with David O. Russell.

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Jim Carrey - Johnny Depp has “scheduling conflicts” to thank for the role of a lifetime that rejuvenated his Hollywood career as Carrey was first choice to play Jack Sparrow in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’. He was busy filming ‘ Bruce Almighty.’

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Julia Roberts - Sharon Stone’s leg-crossing femme fatale was very nearly played by Julia Roberts who had to turn down the role when she found out she’d have to appear completely nude in the film.

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Sean Connery - Half of Hollywood has this Scottish legend to thank for making a second career out of turning down famous roles. See: Dumbledore (Harry Potter), John Hammond (Jurassic Park), Gandalf (The Lord of The Rings), and Morpheus (The Matrix).

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