Ben Affleck has had a wild couple of days. After being announced as the new Batman for the ‘Man of Steel’ sequel on Thursday, there has been a massive uproar from fans about whether or not he’s right for the role. Regardless of what they say, however, he has the gig and now his schedule is starting to reflect it. As he prepares to spend some time in front of the camera as the Caped Crusader, Affleck is being forced to step down from his adaptation of Stephen King’s ‘The Stand’. But since the studios need a new director ASAP at risk of losing the rights, we already have a new name for a potential replacement.

Scott Cooper is currently in talks with Warner Bros. and CBS Films to helm the film version of the epic novel. Previously only known for his Oscar-winning film ‘Crazy Heart’ starring Jeff Bridges about an old country singer, the filmmaker is working on his follow up feature right now, which is the revenge thriller ‘Out of the Furnace’ starring Christian Bale, Zoe Saldana, and Casey Affleck, the younger brother of the new Bats.

While Affleck had big plans for the film, at one point calling it ‘The Lord of the Rings’ in America, he just doesn’t have the time necessary to commit to the project anymore. Not only does he need to don the cape and cowl for Zack Snyder, but he’s also prepping for David Fincher’s adaptation of ‘Gone Girl’ alongside Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, and Tyler Perry.

Despite losing a big name and huge talent like Affleck, ‘The Stand’ still stands a chance if Cooper lands the gig. As shown by his previous movies, he draws some pretty big names into his work, so that more than makes up for losing the ‘Argo’ director in terms of star power. However, this would be a pretty big change from what the new director is used to. If he gets the job, hopefully he’s up to the task, especially for the sake of the droves of fans who would not take too kindly to a less than satisfactory treatment of King’s landmark work.

Do you think Scott Cooper can handle the task of adapting ‘The Stand’ into a feature film? Are you disappointed to see Ben Affleck step down from the project because of his role as Batman? Do you have any other suggestions as to who should direct this movie if talks with Cooper dwindle? Share all your thoughts and theories in the comments below.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter