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    Ben Affleck is not directing Batman, but will produce, star 

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments2995 Views
    In this Sept. 30, 2016 photo, Ben Affleck poses at The Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

    By Lindsey Bahr, Film Writer

    LOS ANGELES (AP) --

    Ben Affleck is no longer directing the Batman standalone movie for Warner Bros.

    In a statement Monday, Affleck said it "has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require" and that he and the studio are looking for a new director.

    "There are certain characters who hold a special place in the hearts of millions," Affleck said in the statement. "Performing this role demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can give."

    Affleck made his debut as the superhero for the studio last summer in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," and he had been attached to write and direct the Batman standalone movie for about a year. He attended Comic-Con this summer with his fellow DC Universe directors, like "Wonder Woman's" Patty Jenkins, "Justice League's" Zack Snyder, and Rick Famuyiwa, who this past fall also stepped away from directing "The Flash."

    The studio in a statement said that it "fully supports" his decision and "remains committed to working with him to bring a standalone Batman picture to life."

    Warner Bros. and Affleck have had a longstanding relationship. This past fall alone, Affleck made a cameo as Batman/Bruce Wayne in "Suicide Squad," starred in "The Accountant," and wrote, directed and starred in the period drama "Live by Night."

    Speaking to The Associated Press in December , Affleck said he was taking his time with the script for Batman, which he called an "exhilarating" challenge, "like jumping out of an airplane."

    Warner Bros. has had a rocky start kicking off its expanded universe of DC Comics films. Both "Batman v Superman" and "Suicide Squad" were savaged by critics, but they still managed to be decently profitable.

    Affleck will appear next as Batman in "Justice League," which comes out on Nov. 17. The Batman standalone doesn't yet have an official title or release date, but it was tentatively pegged for 2018.

    "I am still in this, and we are making it," Affleck's statement continued. "I remain extremely committed to this project, and look forward to bringing this to life for fans around the world."

    Tags:Ben Affleck



    Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died

    Saturday, December 21, 2024
    Suchir Balaji poses for a photo in Hawaii in 2018. Balaji was a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who died in November 2024. (Balaji Ramamurthy via AP)

    Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26.

    Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products.

    "We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir's loved ones during this difficult time," said a statement from OpenAI.

    Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said "appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation." The city's chief medical examiner's office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide.

    His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a "happy, smart and brave young man" who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends.

    Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT.

    "Suchir's contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn't have succeeded without him," said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what... Read More

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