The Dark Knight’s age in Batman v Superman is now confirmed

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Through set photos and the brief looks at his suits from the Comic Con teaser and the officially released stills, many have theorized that the Batman character appearing in BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE will the be old, grizzled crimefighter seen in comics like The Dark Knight Returns. Part of that stems from Zack Snyder‘s reference to the famous comic during last year’s Comic Con announcement of the film, but we have yet to hear anything official.

The casting of Ben Affleck, himself 41 years old, may have made this news anticlimactic, but Affleck’s physical appearance could pass for most mid-thirties roles. However, BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE producer Michael Uslan has gone ahead and confirmed for us how old Bruce Wayne will be in next year’s blockbuster.

“So, this [controversial superhero casting] has happened time and again, and it happened with Affleck. To go back to the original thought of Bruce Wayne in his mid-40s, I think he’s going to be extraordinary.”

The set photos floating around online have shown Affleck sporting greying hair, presumably to make him slightly older. I find it interesting they would go for someone this age since it limits the longevity of his solo franchise, especially with some not foreseeing a solo Batman movie until 2019 at the earliest. But, it does leave the door open for a more unique dynamic between the DC heroes than we have seen so far. It could also possibly be why Affleck signed on, knowing his time in the cowl wouldn’t stretch as long as it would for an actor fifteen years his junior. Hopefully this works on screen as well as it has in the comics.

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE opens on March 25, 2016.