Well, well, well. Just when you thought things were looking up for Warner Brothers’ The Batman…

Following the news last month that Ben Affleck was no longer directing the first solo outing for his Caped Crusader, news broke that Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ Matt Reeves was in talks to helm the film. In fact, it was widely reported that Reeves had already signed on for the gig. Seemingly not.

The Hollywood Reporter has word that talks between Warners and Reeves have broken down to the point that the director has completely exited the negotiations. There’s a slight chance that talks could resume once both parties have had some time to reassess the situation, but that’s only a small possibility.

Before The WB decided on Reeves as their top choice to replace Affleck in the director’s chair, other names being mooted were Ridley Scott, Matt Ross, and Fede Alvarez. The studio is still determined to make the movie, so now it’s just a case of finding someone else to helm the picture.

The reason for Affleck deciding against directing was because he was spinning too many plates on the film; as well as starring, he’s also producing and is co-writing the screenplay with DC’s Geoff Johns. Before that announcement there had been regular rumblings that all was not well between Affleck and Warner Brothers, and those stories still refuse to go away.

In fairness to the writer-cum-director, this latest incarnation of the World’s Greatest Detective has been one of the few plus points of the DCEU to date. As such, it’s worrying to see so much chaos surrounding the solo adventure for this most recent cinematic Dark Knight.

Where The Batman is concerned, Affleck’s titular Bats will be battling Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke. Also along for the ride are JK Simmons as Jim Gordon and the returning Jeremy Irons as Alfred. Up next for the Caped Crusader, though, is assembling a team of DC’s finest heroes (and Cyborg!) when Zack Snyder’s Justice League hits cinemas this November.