Ben Affleck suggests, in a recent profile by the New York Times, his departure from the Batman role was due, in part, to his struggles with alcoholism.

Ben Affleck Feared He'd Drink Himself "To Death" If He Stayed As BatmanParas Griffin / Getty Images

“I showed somebody ‘The Batman’ script,” he recalls. “They said, ‘I think the script is good. I also think you’ll drink yourself to death if you go through what you just went through again.'” 

Affleck finished his third trip to rehab in 2018 and abandoned The Batman film completely in 2019. Afterward, he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and explained his decision: “You know I tried to direct a version of it and worked with a really good screenwriter, but just kind of couldn’t come up with a version—couldn’t crack it,” he said. “So I thought it was time to let someone else take a shot at it, and they got some really good people.” 

Affleck is set to make his return to the big screen on March 6th with the release of The Way Back, an upcoming film about a recovering alcoholic who coaches a high school basketball team. He’s also set to appear in Deep Water with Ana de Armas, and The Last Duel. Both are expected to release by the end of 2020.