There’s trouble in Gotham City, and we’re not talking about the Joker this time! It’s barely been two weeks since Ben Affleck stepped aside as the director of The Batman, and only a few days after Matt Reeves emerged as the leading contender to replace Affleck behind-the-camera. But now, rumors are swirling that Affleck wants out of the DC Extended Universe altogether and he’s ready to say “Batfleck no more!” What’s next for the Dark Knight? Find out on today’s Nerdist News!

Join host, and Gotham’s favorite backup Nightwing, Kyle Hill, as she pinpoints the origins of Affleck’s potential departure and how the studio may proceed without him. So far, the only person on record about this is John Campea from Collider Movie Talk, who said on today’s show that “Ben Affleck, make no mistake, he does want out…He doesn’t want to be Batman anymore.” Additionally, Campea added that “I’ve been told, Ben Affleck is talking with Warner Bros. in an attempt to get out of being Batman. And if they do not let him out of being Batman, the standalone Batman film that ultimately happens will be the last time we see Ben Affleck as Batman.”

Holy departure, Batman! This is the very definition of rumor and hearsay, but it does have a certain credibility to it. Affleck didn’t bother to hide his unhappiness with the critical reception to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and as a result, he took a much more active hand in The Batman; including his time co-writing the script with Geoff Johns. We can only speculate as to why Affleck decided to pull out of The Batman as the director. But if Affleck is truly unhappy with his tenure as Batman then there’s not much that Warner Bros. will be able to do to keep him. We think that it’s likely that Affleck will fulfill his commitments to starring in The Batman and the eventual Justice League sequel. However, it’s anyone’s guess what happens after that.

Do you want Affleck to remain as Batman or should we get a new cinematic Dark Knight? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!