Ben Affleck is done with Batman, says Casey Affleck

There's been some confusion as to whether Affleck will be returning to the role for solo film The Batman

The true test of brotherly dedication: does one know whether the other is still Batman or not?

Presumably, time will tell whether this is actually true, but Casey Affleck recently told WEEI’s Dale & Holley with Keefe radio show that his older brother Ben was done with the role, and would not be starring in the upcoming solo film The Batman.

It's a story that's already forming a bizarre parallel with Daniel Craig's constant to and fro over his return as James Bond (he finally said yes).

There's been something of a snowballing effect with rumours over the past few months, growing out of the shadows of Batman vs Superman's critical lashing, and reaching a new peak when Ben Affleck stepped down as director of The Batman.

War for the Planet of the Apes' Matt Reeves has since stepped in, essentially throwing Ben's script out of the window and starting again. But what of the actor himself?

"Batman is the coolest f*cking part in any universe. DC, Marvel..." he told fans at Comic-Con's Hall H. "I'm so thrilled to do it. I know there's this misconception that because I'm not directing it, maybe I wasn't enthusiastic about it. It's f*cking amazing... I would be a f*cking ape on the ground for Matt Reeves."

"My status remains what it always is," he later, more evasively, told Entertainment Weekly. "I’ve done the two movies. I’ve always intended on doing a third if Warners wants to make it. Certainly, if the Batphone rings, I will answer."

When Casey was asked about the rumours and his overall judgement of his brother's performance, he answered: "I thought he was an okay Batman. No, he was great. He was great. He’s a hero, so he had something to channel and work with there. But he’s not going to do that movie [The Batman], I don’t think. Sorry to say."

Is Ben Affleck stepping down? Or is Warner Bros. looking elsewhere for the next Caped Crusader? Or is it all just a big misunderstanding?

For now, at least, we have Ben's role in Justice League, hitting UK cinemas 17 November.