Ben Affleck hopes starring in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ will be "an education".
The 42-year-old actor was a controversial choice to appear as the Caped Crusader in the sequel to 2013’s ‘Man of Steel’, but he is hoping to learn a lot from working on such a huge blockbuster, which he thinks will have an effect on his own directing talents.
Asked what tempted him to accept the role, he said: "To get the exposure to a movie of this scale is an education."
He admitted there is a strategy to taking on the role, with George Clooney’s prospects as a director being boosted by his own turn as Batman, and similarly Clint Eastwood played Dirty Harry at Warner Bros. for almost two decades, allowing them to finance his other directorial projects.
Pondering whether the same will prove true for him, Ben added: "I hope it’s true. You’re always thinking about the momentum you’re trying to build in your career.
"There are dual thought processes – on the one hand, you’re going, ‘What’s interesting to me?’ On the other hand, you’re thinking, ‘How do I give myself the opportunity to do these things?’
"And that calculus, I think, consciously or subconsciously, is part of any career thought process."
However, he insisted he is glad to be playing Batman and – having grown up loving movies like ‘Midnight Run’ and ‘Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark’ – he doesn’t see the summer blockbuster as a step down.
He added to The Sunday Times’ Culture magazine: "[They’re the] best version of popcorn movies. Being raised in that cinematic environment, I viewed these movies as just as interesting as any.
"I got a little older and sort of developed different taste, but I still like a really good commercial movie as much as I like ‘The White Ribbon.’ "
Ben Affleck hoping for Batman education
