Considering the mixed reviews to every Batman outing he's had, it's been surprising how vocal the Internets has been about wanting Ben Affleck to stay as the Dark Knight. Perhaps they just don't want to see Matt Reeves' film further disrupted, but Bat-Fleck has his supporters out there. They're probably the ones who bought that line of cheerleading nonsense he spewed at Comic-Con about sticking around. And they'll likely be the ones to buy into this sketchy-as-shit rumor that he's signed on for The Batman...but only to lead into a future Batman Beyond movie.
The rumor comes from...what is this place...Fortress of Solitude? Yeah, sprinkle a few grains of salt, will ya? They apparently have a source inside Warner Bros. (Don't we all!!?!) who gave them the news because they wanted to get it into the most credible hands possible...
“Yeah, he [Affleck] is staying on as the Batman. There were contract issues, but everything’s sorted now. He’ll do Reeves’ trilogy which sets up Batman Beyond, which will be the next phase of the DC film universe.”
Okay, first of all, Reeves isn't confirmed to be doing a trilogy. Nor is he confirmed to be sticking around for a trilogy. He's talked about the possibility of doing one, but the script isn't even completed yet, and Reeves has always been a one movie at a time director.
And how, or why, is Batman Beyond being brought into this? For those who may not know, Batman Beyond was a very successful animated series that followed a future Batman named Terry McGinnis, who is trained by an aging Bruce Wayne. There was talk of a live-action movie way back in 2001 but it was shelved in favor of Christopher Nolan's Bat-Trilogy. Nothing's been heard of it since, and doubtful it would re-emerge as part of the DCEU now. Why? Because it wouldn't make sense for Warner Bros. to confuse casual audiences familiar with Bruce Wayne by bringing some futuristic Batman they've never seen or heard of before. Not so soon, anyway.
So I'm going to file this rumor under "U" for Un-friggin'-likely. Not that Affleck is returning, though. That part of it may turn out to be true, although I doubt Fortress of Solitude got the scoop on it. But the whole Batman Beyond bit is nonsense, and I suspect the piece was written to bolster a previous story where they predict the movie is happening. Sneaky.
