Director Matt Reeves Exits ‘The Batman’ After Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck's "The Batman" is once again on a lookout for a new director, following news that Matt Reeves has left. Speculations are rife that the rushed production timeline and his commitment on "War for the Planet of the Apes" prompted his exit.

Reeves has exited final talks with Warner Bros. to take over Affleck as director of "The Batman." A source with knowledge about the production confirmed this news to The Hollywood Reporter. However, there is supposedly the possibility that Reeves could renegotiate once things cool off.

Details about Reeves' exit remain unknown. However, there are speculations that the rushed production timeline prompted him to leave. According to Collider, Warner Bros. wants to start filming "The Batman" as soon as possible. The studio wants production to begin this year.

Reeves, on the other hand, possibly wants to take his time. He has prior commitments to attend to before he can focus on "The Batman." He is reportedly deep in post-production on "War for the Planet of the Apes," the sequel to his film "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes." The movie is set for release in the US on July 2017.

Likewise, there is the possibility that Reeves wants to revise the script Affleck and Geoff Johns made. This could mean another delay in the production on "The Batman."

Prior to Reeves, there were other directors lined up for "The Batman." Warner Bros. reportedly thought of hiring either Ridley Scott ("The Martian") or Fede Alvarez ("Don't Breathe"). Their names came up after Affleck left as director.

Affleck initially signed on to helm "The Batman" and also portray the titular character. However, he decided to leave the position so he can focus on acting instead. As it stands, the solo film is once again without a director. Regardless, Warner Bros. is intent on making the movie, so the hunt for a new director continues.