As the Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and the rebranding of the DCEU as the DCU, audiences were left confused about what The Dark Knight’s future holds within Warner Bros.’s ever-expanding multiverse.
Featuring voice talent such as Mark Hamill and the late actor Kevin Conroy, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm had a reputation for being one of the best-animated features of all time. A unique theatrical release among Batman films, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm introduced Andrea Beaumont, a new villain inspired by Batman: Year Two’s Reaper. Although she’s appeared in other media, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm’s title antagonist never received a notable live-action adaptation, making her ideal for the DCU and a new Batman film starring Ben Affleck.
The Flash Gives Affleck's Batman A DCU Future
Since leaving the DCEU in 2017, many wondered if Ben Affleck would return to the role of Bruce Wayne and what director Zack Snyder originally intended for his character. However, between controversies surrounding stars like Ezra Miller, James Gunn acting as the runner for the rebranded cinematic universe, and the cancelation of projects like saga akin to the MCU’s multiverse, there’s an opportunity for Ben Affleck to return and a chance to deliver the live-action Batman movie audiences never received.
Inspired by The Flashpoint Paradox, The Flash movie suggested a turning point for the DCU. Believed to be at the heart of DC’s cinematic reorganization, it provides an opportunity to iron out narratives, fix mistakes, and revisit the DCEU’s abandoned narrative arcs. The Flash’s time travel-centric plot is a quasi-reboot of the strangest kind, but one that allows for Ben Affleck to return. By introducing a multiverse, and a doctored timeline, the DCU has a blank check to retcon, rewrite, and revisit the DCEU as they wish. Additionally, the reported return of Henry Cavill for Ben Affleck’s scrapped solo Batman movie as well. When Affleck left the DCEU, there was so much potential lost and questions that went unanswered about his role as The Dark Knight, but it doesn’t have to remain that way as DC’s films enter a new age thanks to The Flash.
Phantasm Needs A Live-Action Batman Movie Appearance
Despite being considered one of the best and most emotional animated films of all time, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was not a commercial success initially. Unfortunately, after introducing such a beloved and tragic character, Phantasm’s appearances since the 1993 film have been grossly lacking compared to Batman’s other rogues. After having multiple movies featuring The Joker, The Riddler, Harley Quinn, and Catwoman, Phantasm deserves another chance to haunt the big screen, but this time, it needs to be live-action.
It wasn’t her movie’s failure at the box office that doomed Phantasm to her sparse on-screen presence or even the fans; it’s the unfair perception that animated films are lesser or not as mature as live-action films. It was as recently as 2022 that a live-action Batman movie.
Phantasm Is The Perfect Villain For Affleck's Batman
In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the film set up an older and more brutal vigilante. While bits and pieces filled in some of Bruce Wayne’s transformation into Batman, it still felt as if every DC movie Affleck appeared in never gave him enough development. However, Phantasm is the perfect way to explore concepts like justice, the psychology of Bruce Wayne, and what Batman would look like if he forgot what he stood for.
In Batman: Year Two, Reaper was a dark reflection of a vigilante and meant to show what would happen if Bruce no longer honored his non-lethal philosophies; however, Phantasm took things to the next level. Phantasm was “what if?” incarnate, not only reflecting a more merciless Batman; but the tragedies that caused him to don the cape and cowl. Before Justice League, the Riddler and the Joker, Batman films need to shed their reliance on them, and a lesser-known villain like Phantasm is ideal for the role.
How Phantasm Could Appear In The DCU
Two of the biggest tragedies of Ben Affleck’s Batman were how alone he was before Justice League and that audiences got limited insight into how he ended up that way. There were hints in the DCEU, such as Robin’s desecrated uniform and the destroyed Wayne mansion; however, what Batman: Mask of the Phantasm did best was explain that Bruce Wayne’s life was more than just the death of his parents. There’s such a good story to be told about how Bruce Wayne became Batman without revisiting his parents’ murder and how he ended up the much more intense vigilante in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Although Ben Affleck’s Batman seems a bit older, it’s not too late to adapt Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. A remake of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm could happen after the events of Bruce Wayne’s memories and how different his life would’ve been if Andrea could be with him. The movie could lead to that final confrontation with The Joker like in the original film, and at the end of Andrea’s revenge plot, have audiences ask the most haunting question of all: “what if?”
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was a film about the past and lost opportunities, perfectly encapsulating Ben Affleck’s time in the DCEU. Like Phantasm, DC’s history has a habit of showing up unexpectedly. With a new DCU, the opportunity is there to explore the Batman mythos in ways the previous continuity never got to, finally giving both Phantasm and Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne another chance on the big screen.
