Forbes is reporting Ben Affleck will have a cameo in Suicide Squad as a lead-up to a future standalone Batman movie pitting his Batman against Jared Leto’s Joker. Consider this entire post a spoiler, and stop reading if you don’t want to know the context for Affleck’s cameo.
Forbes says The Joker and Batman figure into a scene at the end of the movie, and other rumors mention The Joker escaping from Arkham Asylum during a prison riot at the end of Suicide Squad.
This would set up the Joker as a possible/likely antagonist in the solo Batman movie that’s planned in the next few years, and which I’ve heard will take some inspiration from Frank Miller’s comic book series The Dark Knight Returns — the third issue of which is a story about Batman facing off against an escaped Joker. I’m also told that Gotham City Police Commissioner Ellen Yindel (who replaces James Gordon during the comic book story) is planned for inclusion in the film.
It makes sense for Yindel to replace Gordon if those rumors about Gordon are correct. Those rumors claimed Gordon was killed sometime during Batman’s 17 year crimefighting career, and there was speculation Joker killed Gordon instead of Robin (Jason Todd) in the movie continuity. We mention the possibility of Jason Todd being alive because it fits with something else Forbes claims.
Batman fans will be getting five — yes, FIVE — movies with Batman appearing in some capacity, from 2016 through 2020. But in three of those, he’ll be teamed up with Superman and other superheroes, while in two of them he’ll be “alone” to varying degrees (although in his solo film, he apparently will be joined by some of his supporting bat-family, including probably one or two of the masked variety).
Of course there are alternate rumors that a different version of Robin has already been cast: Jena Malone. Something I’m so on board with I’d almost forget about Sucker Punch.
