Matt Damon to the chattering geek class upset about Ben Affleck playing Batman: How do you like them apples?
In an interview with The Times of India, Damon was asked about his long-time friend's new gig as the Caped Crusader, and he effectively took the steam out of any and all people protesting Affleck's Batman role.
"I think it will be great. It will be terrific. I know there are a lot of people grousing on the internet. I just think it's kind of funny. You know, he's not playing King Lear. It's Batman!" Damon said. "[That's] certainly within his skill set. If anybody saw 'Argo' or 'The Town,' and all the work he's been doing lately, it's way more nuanced and interesting and way more difficult than Batman! Batman just sits there with his cowl over his head and whispers in a kinda gruff voice at people. Bruce Wayne is the more challenging part of the role, and Ben will be great at that."
Damon's statements mostly echo what director Zack Snyder said when it was announced that Affleck would play Batman in the "Man of Steel" sequel that Warner Bros. will release in 2015, though Snyder didn't use any of Damon's snark.
"Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry Cavill's Superman," Snyder said in the press release. "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."
Affleck, a two-time Oscar winner (for screenwriting and producing), was chosen for the Batman versus Superman film last Thursday, and the decision set of an immediate meltdown in the geek world. Some comic fans went as far as setting up a petition on Change.org to remove Affleck from the part (there was also a White House petition that was quickly deleted). As of this writing, 84,575 people decided to sign the Change.org petition, which apparently "was not meant in any way to harm Ben Affleck or his career" according to its creator. (Cool, thanks?)
For more from Damon, head over to The Times of India.
