The Bat and the Cat? Ben Affleck and Ruth Negga Talk Batman on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'

Ben Affleck and Ruth Negga paid a visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live Monday night. Affleck there to promote his new movie Live By Night and Negga, fresh from her nomination at the Golden Globes the night before, sat down for interviews providing some interesting tidbits of information. Most notably, of course, was anything and everything about the upcoming DC Films, Justice League and The Batman that Affleck is involved in. 

"Damn, I make that look pretty good," Affleck said when Kimmel showed him the new image (above) from Justice League that was released this past weekend and features Batman (Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), the Flash (Ezra Miller), and Aquaman (Jason Momoa). In his armored Bat-suit, Affleck was considerably more muscular-looking but there was one glaring omission of a certain Man of Steel.

Ben talks about the upcoming Justice League movie and the next Batman film.

When asked about the much-chronicled Batman film Affleck is working on he was adamant about making it a reality. He just wishes everyone could be more patient. "I’m going to direct the next Batman. We’re working on it," Affleck said. "It’s one of those things that’s really frustrating because Live By Night took me a year and a half to write it, and get it ready, and I worked really hard. And nobody gave a shit! No one was like ‘where’s Live By Night?!’ But with Batman, I keep getting ‘where’s the f*cking Batman?!’. I’m like bro, I’m working! Give me a second."

Production on The Batman has been pushed from early April to possibly the Summer. Understandably, devoting 18 months to a passion project like Live by Night while starring in Justice League and preparing to also write and direct a Batman film can be a daunting task. It leaves little room for failure so it's probably for the best that Affleck be allowed some more room to sharpen the script with Geoff Johns. 

Critics have been merciless with other DC Films, stressing the speed at which the studio was trying to pump out these superhero movies, resulting in sometimes scathing reviews. No doubt Affleck is cognizant of the pressure to make not only a box office winner but a well-received one. "I'm definitely going to make sure I have something that is special—there's not enough money in the world to make a mediocre version of Batman worth it," he told Entertainment Weekly. 

Ruth shares her joy at Meryl Streep mentioning her in her Golden Globes speech and she talks about the American media she consumed as a kid growing up in Ireland.

Still aglow after attending the Golden Globes on Sunday and being mentioned in Meryl Streep's famous speech, Ruth Negga spoke comfortably with her native Irish accent. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for her role in 'Loving' but lost to 'Elle's Isabelle Huppert. 

When the conversation moved to her consumption of American television when she was younger, she recalled having limited options on the two channels that broadcast midday in Ireland. One of the shows she watched was the 1966 Batman series starring Adam West. She remembered fondly seeing the reruns and one Batman villain in particular. "Remember Eartha Kitt was Catwoman. I lived for her appearances," Negga said.

Ever since the announcement of a 'Gotham City Sirens' film going forward from Harley Quinn herself Margot Robbie, fans have predictably offered their casting suggestions to fill potential roles like Poison Ivy, Black Canary, Batgirl, and Catwoman. I have proposed that the next Catwoman be a black woman in honor of Kitt to add some more female racial diversity in the DCEU. The versatile Negga would be a great choice and is no stranger to comic book-based productions (Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, Preacher). She already has a fondness for the character and is a brilliant actress. She has my vote. 

Justice League will hit theaters on Nov. 17. The Batman arrives when it's good and ready!