First he was, then he wasn’t, but now it’s official: Matt Reeves will direct The Batman.

After Ben Affleck decided against directing the first solo outing for his Caped Crusader, Reeves was quickly installed as the favourite to take over the director’s chair. So much so, reports circulated that he had been hired by Warner Brothers for the gig. Then came news that Reeves – best known for the likes of Cloverfield, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and the impending War for the Planet of the Apes – had decided to exit negotiations with Warners after talks broke down.

Well now, the studio has moved to officially confirm that it will indeed be Matt Reeves who will be directing Affleck’s Dark Knight in The Batman.

In a statement, The WB’s Toby Emmerich said, “We are thrilled to have Matt Reeves taking the helm of Batman. Matt’s deep roots in genre films and his evolution into an emotional world-building director make him the perfect filmmaker to guide the Dark Knight through this next journey.”

Reeves himself added, “I have loved the Batman story since I was a child. He is such an iconic and compelling character, and one that resonates with me deeply. I am incredibly honoured and excited to be working with Warner Bros. to bring an epic and emotional new take on the Caped Crusader to the big screen.”

All that’s known about the film at this stage is that the World’s Greatest Detective will be facing off against Joe Manganiello’s villainous Deathstroke. In the film, Affleck’s Bats will be joined by J.K. Simmons as Jim Gordon and the returning Jeremy Irons as Alfred.

Affleck is currently working on the screenplay for the film with DC’s Geoff Johns, but up next for this latest cinematic Batman is Zack Snyder’s Justice League this November.