Expectations for the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice have reached superhero-level proportions — two superheroes, to be exact — and that fact isn’t lost on star Ben Affleck.
“I think there is a ton of pressure on it,” Affleck told Variety of the film, in which he plays Bruce Wayne/Batman. “I mean I would be bulls–ting you to say there isn’t.”
“We are a very kind of instant gratification culture when it comes to analyzing the film business. And there is a lot of hyperbole involved,” he added. “Nonetheless, there’s a lot of pressure on it. If it doesn’t do well, that will be extremely disappointing.” (As for what would be considered a success, he demurred, “I leave that to the experts to decide.”)
Despite those high stakes, Affleck seems optimistic the film will do well for Warner Bros.
“You’ll see next year they are going to have a great year,” he said. “They are now developing … probably the single greatest under-exploited IP asset in the entertainment business, the DC comic world. And now they have started to exploit that and you are going to see that blossom. And, when it does, it’s going to be massive.”
Affleck has plans to stay in Gotham for a little while — he’s set to direct and star in a standalone Batman movie, set after the events of Dawn of Justice and 2017’s Justice League.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens March 25. Head toVariety for more from Affleck, and see the film’s trailer below.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com