Ben Affleck recently appeared on Bill Simmons’ new HBO show Any Given Wednesday and, understandably, the bit that caught most people’s attention was his epic, five-minute, profanity-laced Deflategate tirade. Affleck’s rant was so powerful, most people didn’t notice Affleck dropped another pretty big bomb in the interview. Specifically, he mentioned he turned down a chance to direct Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Or, at least, he strongly implied it.
When Simmons asked Affleck point blank whether he almost directed Star Wars: Episode VII, Affleck offered this total non-denial.
“Well, it wouldn’t be polite to talk about the jobs you turn down, but I had a lot of offers. It’s like, forks in the road that are, like, legitimate different paths. Boy, my life’s going to be really different if I go this way, or do Batman, or I do this other…iconic thing.”
Yeah, that definitely sounds like the musings of a man who’s spent a few dark nights contemplating that fact that he chose Batman v Superman over The Force Awakens.
This isn’t the first time Affleck has weighed in on the movie that would become The Force Awakens. Back when Disney first bought Star Wars and announced Episode VII, Affleck had some telling things to say about possibly helming the franchise.
“I’m glad I don’t have that job. It’s a tough decision to make. I’d be too busy worrying about how the action figures would look for each character to direct the actual movie. I’d be like, ‘Oh, we’ll just reshoot the movie with the action figures.'”
Back in 2012 I think most people just assumed this was idle talk on Affleck’s part, but based on our new information, it seems it might not have been. What do you think? Did ol’ Ben make the right “tough decision”?
