Ben Affleck: Justice League reshoots were the low point of his career
A decade has passed since Justice League hit the big screen, a film that initially signaled the end of the DCEU but quickly became a monument to production chaos. The story of the movie is inextricably linked to the drama of its creation, particularly the tumultuous post-production period that followed Zack Snyder’s departure.
For many involved, the experience was far from seamless. When the original vision stalled, Joss Whedon was brought in to handle massive reshoots, an experience that Ben Affleck later cited as a significant setback. He described that time as the low point of his career, highlighting the friction between the studio and the creative vision that permeated the filmmaking process.
Affleck reflected on the painful aspects of the ordeal, noting that the circumstances surrounding the project were deeply troubling. He pointed out that the use of a tragic event to justify the removal of the original filmmaker felt deeply unfair, calling it one of the most disturbing things he had witnessed in the industry. He observed that the chaotic environment and pressures on set during the reshoots were overwhelmingly negative, an experience that certainly left an imprint.
Despite the dramatic personal and professional fallout, the franchise itself faced its own financial hurdles. Although Justice League was budgeted at a staggering $300 million, it struggled at the box office. While subsequent films like Aquaman eventually delivered significant success, the initial performance signaled that the DCEU was navigating a challenging landscape.
Transitioning to Affleck’s more recent work, his latest film, Animals, landed on Netflix and has drawn mixed critical attention. While Affleck is known for directing projects that consistently deliver compelling storytelling, critics have found Animals to be surprisingly uninspired. Unlike his other acclaimed works—such as Gone Baby Gone, Argo, and Air—the film feels less like a blockbuster and more like another streamable offering.
This shift in critical reception suggests that even seasoned directors face the challenge of maintaining high standards across different projects. While Animals is an interesting venture, it does not quite reach the high bar set by Affleck’s previous successes, leaving observers to wonder if his next chapter will offer the same depth and excitement that defined his earlier endeavors.
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