Fans may still be skeptical, but the original on-screen Batman thinks Ben Affleck is perfect for the role.
“My feeling is that Ben Affleck will be really good simply because he’s a great talent,” Adam West told People on Thursday. “And I’d be very interested in seeing him in the role.”
The 85-year-old actor portrayed the Caped Crusader in the “Batman” television series, which was on the air from 1966 to 1968.
Last August’s announcement that Affleck would portray the character in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” — the sequel to last year’s “Man of Steel” — infuriated fans, inciting some to campaign for his removal from the film.
Regardless, Affleck is still set to portray the character in the film, which is currently filming in Detroit, and West believes he’ll enjoy the experience.
“[I’m] really a lucky actor because I was able to be part of something that has that kind of longevity that you talk about,” the actor said. “And I think that with each succeeding generation, the kids can watch with their parents or grandparents, and the kids grow up remembering the show well. And they pass it on to their kids.”
West isn’t the only actor to have worn the cape and cowl who’s supporting Affleck.
In November, Christian Bale said that the negative reaction to the actor’s casting was something he shouldn’t pay any attention to.
“Look, there is no middle ground on the Internet,” Bale told Details magazine at the time. “It’s just extreme feelings. They love you or abhor you. Ben knows that, and I doubt if he spent one minute worrying about it.”
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” will hit theaters in 2016.