BATMAN: Ben Affleck's DCEU Appearances Ranked From Worst To Best According To Rotten Tomatoes

Ben Affleck's time as Batman ended when DC Studios decided to reboot the DCEU as the DCU, and we're ranking his movie appearances as the Dark Knight according to their respective Rotten Tomatoes scores.

By JoshWilding - Apr 19, 2024 11:04 AM EST

Filed Under: Batman vs. Superman

When the news broke that Ben Affleck had been cast as the Dark Knight in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the response wasn't overly positive.

The actor and director would go on to star in five DC Extended Universe movies, and to call them a mixed bag would be an understatement. While Affleck proved his haters wrong, he was saddled with some pretty lousy material at times, some of which even ended up killing his love for Batman.

Since then, Robert Pattinson has taken over as Bruce Wayne in The Batman and DC Studios plans to cast a new Caped Crusader for The Brave and the Bold. Affleck's time as the hero has ended, but how do his DCEU appearances stack up according to Rotten Tomatoes?

In this feature, we're ranking the actor's big screen appearances as Batman according to the review aggregator, but trust us when we say you might be surprised by how these compare!

The Movies That Didn't Happen...

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Before we delve into this ranking, it's worth bringing up the Batfleck movies which didn't become a reality.

For starters, after Justice League, the plan had been for Affleck to direct and star in The Batman. The plot was supposed to revolve around Batman being hunted down by Deathstroke, though a myriad of reasons led to the actor deciding he didn't want to make the movie.

A few years later, Warner Bros. tempted him back for a cameo role in The Flash. That was supposed to end with a stinger setting the stage for Crisis on Infinite Earths, only for the crossover - and Affleck's cameo in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom - to be scrapped by DC Studios.

As a result, Affleck's time wearing the cape and cowl ended years sooner than originally intended. We'll never know whether those would have fared any better than these...

5. Suicide Squad

Suicide-Squad-Batman-Harley-Quinn-Deleted-Footage-copy

Score: 26%

Rotten Or Fresh: Rotten

Critics Consensus: Suicide Squad boasts a talented cast and a little more humor than previous DCEU efforts, but they aren't enough to save the disappointing end result from a muddled plot, thinly written characters, and choppy directing.

When Suicide Squad set photos started doing the rounds online showing Batman seemingly battling The Joker and Harley Quinn, fans started losing their minds. This was, after all, like finally seeing the comics come to life.

That "fight" proved itself a disappointment, with the Dark Knight never actually sharing the screen with the Clown Prince of Crime (he did, however, lock lips with Harley in a bizarre exchange). And no, we don't believe David Ayer's "Ayer Cut" would improve this largely aimless cameo.

On the plus side, Bruce Wayne's heated confrontation with Amanda Waller in a mid-credits scene was relatively memorable. This was Affleck at his best.

4. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Score: 29%

Rotten Or Fresh: Rotten

Critics Consensus: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice smothers a potentially powerful story -- and some of America's most iconic superheroes -- in a grim whirlwind of effects-driven action.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice isn't as bad as some would have you believe. Zack Snyder undoubtedly makes some questionable creative decisions, and chief among them was the fact this Caped Crusader killed his enemies.

Putting that to one side for a moment, Affleck's Batman here was arguably more intimidating and formidable than any of his predecessors. A badass capable of going one-on-one with Superman, the actor undoubtedly proved all his detractors wrong with this mighty performance.

Ultimately, he did deserve a better movie, but this Batman was (mostly) hard not to love.

3. Justice League

Batman-is-a-lost-puppy-on-the-Justice-League-battlefield

Score: 40%

Rotten Or Fresh: Rotten

Critics Consensus: Justice League leaps over a number of DC movies, but its single bound isn't enough to shed the murky aesthetic, thin characters, and chaotic action that continue to dog the franchise.

Joss Whedon failed to "fix" Justice League, but he made some improvements. However, those did not extend to Batman. While there weren't too many changes, Bruce taunting Wonder Woman about Steve Trevor's death was a gross moment the filmmaker dropped the ball on.

Then, there's the fact Batman was a total goof, cracking jokes and dropping one-liners in a way which might have worked for Tony Stark, only to prove a poor fit for this DC Comics icon.

Affleck's work here lacked subtlety and it was working on Justice League which reportedly led to him walking away from the role and scrapping The Batman. Yes, he hated this experience that much.

2. The Flash

Last-appearance-of-Bruce-Wayne-Batfleck-THE-FLASH-4k-HDR-0-38-screenshot-copy

Score: 63%

Rotten Or Fresh: Fresh

Critics Consensus: The Flash is funny, fittingly fast-paced, and overall ranks as one of the best DC movies in recent years.

The Flash belonged more to Michael Keaton's Batman than Affleck's, but the actor still made a memorable cameo role here. It was just memorable for what would prove to be all the wrong reasons.

Somehow, Andy Muschietti convinced the actor to return for a goofy supporting turn in The Flash which saw the Dark Knight fighting crime in broad daylight and cracking the sort of jokes with The Flash and Wonder Woman which made us cringe in 2017.

We can only assume Affleck was gearing up for bigger and better things down the line with the now-scrapped Crisis on Infinite Earths movie.

The costume was terrible, the action scenes weren't much better, and the visual effects are among the genre's worst. This may be ranked among Affleck's "best" DCEU appearances, but make no mistake about it: it's almost certainly the worst.

1. Zack Snyder's Justice League

Score: 72%

Rotten Or Fresh: Fresh

Critics Consensus: Zack Snyder's Justice League lives up to its title with a sprawling cut that expands to fit the director's vision -- and should satisfy the fans who willed it into existence.

Zack Snyder's Justice League was an improvement over Whedon's version, and that was particularly the case when it came to Batman.

The cheesy jokes were gone, and Affleck's performance was considerably better. It still felt like a step back from what we'd seen in Batman v Superman; however, at least Batman felt like Batman again, not an MCU wannabe.

Even though the Batsuit he donned in the final battle wasn't good, Affleck did his best with the material he had to work with and Snyder's repeated hints of romance between Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince were welcomed, for the most part.

As for the extra content he shot for the Snyder Cut, it was awesome to see that Affleck was willing to set the stage for sequels which were at least somewhat possible at the time.

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30 Comments

marvel72 - 4/19/2024, 11:08 AM

I didn't think his Batman was that bad really.

ObserverIO - 4/19/2024, 1:20 PM

@marvel72 - performance-wise he was damn good, especially in BvS.

narrow290 - 4/19/2024, 11:13 AM

Ok lets play pretend Affleck isn't the very best on screen Batman ever..

Lisa89 - 4/19/2024, 11:34 AM

@narrow290 - Let's not because Affleck is the very best onscreen Batman ever.

ObserverIO - 4/19/2024, 1:21 PM

@narrow290 - Keaton all day every day and twice on Sunday.

narrow290 - 4/19/2024, 3:16 PM

@Lisa89 - Absolutely!

marvel72 - 4/19/2024, 8:14 PM

@narrow290 - Kevin Conroy is the best Bruce Wayne/Batman.

narrow290 - 4/20/2024, 9:46 AM

@marvel72 - Can’t argue with that

Izaizaiza - 4/19/2024, 11:14 AM

His Batman could have been great, and in my mind, it's the best casting for the character ever... Ever... Even though the movies we're not good.

Same with Cavill. With a different director and a writer, those two could have been part of some pretty great DC films. Ah, well... onward, not backwards!

JonAwesome - 4/19/2024, 11:15 AM

Hands down Affleck’s Batman is my favorite! Love his intensity. He played him as a very flawed human being with obsession to control the world around him and that is Batman!

Nomis929 - 4/19/2024, 11:18 AM

@JonAwesome - Mine too.

TheNewYorker - 4/19/2024, 11:15 AM

He was a great Batman. [frick] all that.

Nomis929 - 4/19/2024, 11:17 AM

I Would've loved to see him in a solo Batman Movie.

Strking Terror...the Best Part!

Juicebox316 - 4/19/2024, 11:24 AM

Wh.. Why does this article exist?

ObserverIO - 4/19/2024, 11:26 AM

Comments back on the lists?

Okay, BvS was his best ever, imo, but I would put The Flash at number 2, not for the Batman stuff but for the Bruce stuff.

ObserverIO - 4/19/2024, 11:28 AM

but I just realised this isn't of list of the best Batfleck appearances but of the movies that Batfleck was in. And I can't really rank them. They're all pretty bad. Def wouldn't put ZSJL at the top though. I think the Whedon Cut is slightly better.

Actually I think it'd be the same list. BvS then The Flash. Then the rest.

GhostDog - 4/19/2024, 11:29 AM

What is this article lol

TheVisionary25 - 4/19/2024, 11:30 AM

@GhostDog - the reasons he gave for the Flash appearance being no 2 are so weird lol

Oberlin4Prez - 4/19/2024, 1:53 PM

@GhostDog - checks author name - yup sounds about right.

TheVisionary25 - 4/19/2024, 11:30 AM

A list article that we can post comments on?.

😱

I still need to see The Flash and The Snyder Cut in its entirety so I can’t really comment on those.

However , while people remember a somewhat goofy Batman in JL (Bats does have a sense of humor depending on the iteration), i moreso remember scenes like this which were welcome albeit unearned addition…

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Overall , conceptually I thought this version could work but execution wise it wasn’t really for me.

Apophis71 - 4/19/2024, 1:07 PM

@TheVisionary25 - I guess my biggest issue with his Batman in The Flash was less about what he said but more that this was the Batman hell bent on Killing Superman for the destruction he left in his wake...

...who then left a Hospital to collapse in his last film appearance. I mean there was a reason but with all his 'wonderfull toys' you wouldn't think he'd leave cleanup duty to the guy who was so clumsy in Justice league and runs like an ADHD Chicken after OD'ing on caffeine

MisterDoctor217 - 4/19/2024, 11:36 AM

His best was in BvS to be honest.

He’s my second favorite Batman , after Michael Keaton.

His Batman solo film will always be one of those things like Nicholas Cage’s Superman movie , shame it didn’t happen.

AllsGood - 4/19/2024, 11:43 AM

OFF TOPIC.

Rebel Moon: Part Two - The Scargiver Rotten Tomatoes Score is available 13% with 23 Reviews Tomatometer.

DrReedRichards - 4/19/2024, 12:02 PM

The f#ck is this?

Posts like this are the reason any legit criticism towards the DCEU and Snyder's vision are thrown out by fans of that franchise as nothing more than hating.

Know why you hate what you hate. Otherwise you turn into a parody with less than zero self-awareness.

DrReedRichards - 4/20/2024, 4:51 AM

@WATCHT0WER -

Origame - 4/19/2024, 12:29 PM

Josh: "it's been years. Snyder needs to let the dceu go and move on"

Also josh: "here's a ranking of all dceu movies featuring Ben Affleck based on rotten tomato scores"

marvel72 - 4/19/2024, 12:41 PM

@Origame -

Exactly.

PapaSpank54 - 4/19/2024, 12:38 PM

Who else is gonna give you a reacharound?

Forthas - 4/19/2024, 2:34 PM

One of the worst interpretations of Batman ever put to film. Val Kilmer was a better Batman than Affleck. Every film that he appeared in made less than the previous. NOBODY was excited for his Batman

CloakDagger - 4/20/2024, 6:23 AM

well, that's bulls**t..as expected.

while the movie might be bad, you can't deny Ben SHINED as Bruce and Batman in Batman v Superman the best.

Second...well, the snyder's JL, then Flash, then Suicide Squad..last, the 2017 JL, only due to the newer scenes that showed Ben in a lesser physique.

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