The Batman director Matt Reeves has ditched Ben Affleck's script

'It’s a new story. It’s just starting again'

Thanks to the critical acclaim War for the Planet of the Apes has received, excitement for Matt Reeves version of The Batman has skyrocketed.

While promoting the Andy Serkis-starring CGI phenomena, Reeves has given various updates on the superhero blockbuster.

Speaking to MTV's Happy Sad Confused podcast, the director admitted how they have ditched Ben Affleck, Chris Terrio and DC's Geoff Johns script, electing to start afresh.

Asked about working with Affleck's script, Reeves said, via The Hollywood Reporter: "No, it’s a new story. It’s just starting again. I’m excited about it. I think it’s going to be really cool.”

Affleck’s script originally featured the villain Deathstroke, Joe Magliano having already been cast in the role. Whether the character remains part of the film remains to be seen.

Some details have already seemingly emerged regarding the upcoming script. One such snippet is the possibility that Josh Gad could be playing The Penguin, a character previously played by Danny Devito in Batman Returns.

Earlier this month, Reeves spoke about the possibility of The Batman being turned into a trilogy, saying: “I have ideas about an arc, but really, the important thing is just to start.

“You know, you have to start with a story that begins something. And I would be lying if I could tell you that the arcs of Apes was already planned out, because it simply wasn’t. It’s one of those things where that character was so potent, and the possibility was embedded from the beginning, but exactly how you’ve got from A to Z is not something that existed”.

Speaking last month about the Ben Affleck-starring film, Reeves said his version of Batman will be a noir detective that will look inside the character’s head and heart.

The Batman is currently expected to reach cinemas 2019.