Casey Affleck Was Just 'Having Fun' When He Said Ben Wouldn't Stay On As Batman

And so the roller coaster ride of whether or not Ben Affleck will stay on as Batman continues. Shortly after his brother Casey revealed in an interview that he did not believe Ben was sticking with the part, Casey's reps have come out to say that he was just "having fun" when he made the comment.

"I thought he was an okay Batman," Casey said on WEEI's Dale and Holly With Keefe radio show while at an event at Fenway Park. "No, he was great. He was great. He's a hero, so he had something to channel and work with there. But he's not going to do that movie, I don't think. Sorry to say." Casey later added, "Is that breaking news? Because I was just kind of making that up, I don't know." 

Many took the comment as an indication that Ben might be talking to his family about his desire to leave the part, which would confirm months of rumors that he's trying to put down the cowl before director Matt Reeves begins a rumored trilogy surrounding the character. Those rumors culminated just before San Diego Comic-Con, when a report said that DC would be looking for a way to "gracefully" transition Ben out as Batman. He contradicted those rumors at the convention, saying, "Let me be very clear. I am the luckiest guy in the world. Batman is the coolest f***ing part in any universe."

According to Casey's reps, the actor was just joking around when he made his comments. "He was having fun with the folks at the Red Sox game– where he threw out the first pitch in support of the Jimmy Fund– and not speaking from a place of firsthand knowledge," they said in a statement to Buzzfeed News. Added Ben's reps, "He'll continue to be Batman as long as the studio will have him."

It seems that, no matter what statements the actor and his reps make, rumors of Ben leaving the part will not die down until it is set in stone that he will return for The Batman. We do know for sure that he will take up the mask in Justice League for a "more traditional" version of the character than we've seen thus far. That movie is due out on Nov. 17; for now, see why it will be better than you think.