Ben Affleck was excited to go to work every day whilst filming Batman v Superman. Photo / Getty
Ben Affleck was excited to go to work every day whilst filming Batman v Superman. Photo / Getty
Shooting the new Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie was "exciting every day" for Batman Ben Affleck.
The actor makes his debut as wealthy businessman Bruce Wayne and his Caped Crusader alter ego in the upcoming blockbuster, and he admitted it was a dream come true to tackle the iconic role opposite Henry Cavill as Superman.
Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Asked at a Los Angeles press conference if his excitement for the role came from his little boy superhero complex, or his adult hero complex, the Argo star jokingly replied, "I have too many complexes to sort through."
"I think I tapped into equal measure of my adult geekness and kid excitement," Affleck added.
"Every day there was something to kind of geek out about. It was exciting every day."
Describing Batman as a vulnerable character to play, he claimed the superhero is "a guy who on the one hand is powerful and exciting and can do things we all wish we could do but is also still a human being and struggling with his own vulnerabilities".
Affleck's interest in Gotham City's Caped Crusader dates back to his childhood in Boston, where he bought his first Frank Miller comic book at a local store called Million Year Panic.
"That really took my appreciation for this genre to another level," he said of the darker genre of Miller's Batman comics, on which the new film is loosely based.
"I like the idea that both Bruce Wayne and Batman were both unhealthy people who were dealing with unhealthy behaviour at night as a result of psychological scars they got from childhood. That duality was something that was really interesting to explore."
However, Affleck didn't draw on any of the comic book material when preparing for his role.
Ben Affleck always loved Batman comics growing up.
"For me there was really enough material in the screenplay and with Zack (Snyder)'s direction there was plenty for me to grab on to and use my imagination and build this character," he explained.
The star also revealed he was daunted by previous portrayals of Batman, including that of Christian Bale in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy.
"It's certainly daunting because of the people who have played this character before and the great filmmakers. Most recently Christian and Chris, who made brilliant movies," Affleck said.
"There is that element of healthy respect you have for the project and for the characters and their history."
