Ben Affleck has described his experience making Justice League as one of the worst stretches of his professional life, telling an interviewer that the 2017 superhero ensemble ranks among the most miserable productions he has ever endured. The actor, who played Bruce Wayne and his caped alter ego Batman in the Zack Snyder-directed film, did not soften his assessment, calling the shoot "about as gross as it gets" and labeling it a personal low point.

The remarks add another layer to a production already weighed down by a troubled reputation. Justice League arrived in theaters on November 15, 2017, carrying the burden of uniting several of DC's marquee heroes on screen for the first time in a live-action team-up. What followed was a turbulent road to release, a muted critical reception and a years-long fan campaign demanding a different version of the movie.

Affleck's career had already been intertwined with the DC universe for several years by the time Justice League went before cameras. He first donned the cowl in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, a film that drew fierce reactions from critics and audiences alike, and he reprised the role in a brief appearance in Suicide Squad. Justice League was meant to be the payoff for that build-up.

A Production Overshadowed by Upheaval

The film's narrative follows Bruce Wayne as he regains his belief in humanity after Superman's self-sacrifice and, alongside Diana Prince, recruits a squad of metahumans to confront a world-ending danger. Barry Allen, Arthur Curry and Victor Stone join the roster as the team races to stop Steppenwolf and his Parademons from locating three Mother Boxes hidden on Earth.

Zack Snyder directed the picture, which runs 120 minutes and blends action, adventure and science fiction. The cast was stacked with recognizable names: Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ezra Miller as the Flash, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ray Fisher as Cyborg and Jeremy Irons as Alfred.

Behind the camera, however, the project went through a public shake-up. Snyder stepped away during production, and Joss Whedon was brought in to complete the film, a change that became one of the most discussed aspects of its release. The final cut reflected contributions from two filmmakers with markedly different sensibilities, a fact that has fueled speculation and criticism ever since.

Affleck's latest comments suggest his frustration was not limited to the end product but extended to the day-to-day reality of making it. His blunt language marks a rare instance of a major star openly disparaging a tentpole release in which he was a central figure.

Fan Campaign and a Long Afterlife

Few modern blockbusters have inspired as durable a fan movement as Justice League. Calls for a director's cut built momentum for years, culminating in the release of a dramatically expanded version of the story. That effort kept the film in the cultural conversation long after its theatrical run had ended and gave cast members and creatives a second round of attention around the project.

For Affleck, the movie represents a chapter he has gradually put distance between. He has spoken in the past about the pressures and complications of playing Batman, and his latest characterization of the shoot as a career nadir will likely resurface in discussions about the difficulties of assembling large-scale superhero productions.

Reaction to the original release was mixed. On TMDb, the film holds a rating of 6.065 out of 10, a middling score for a title with such high commercial ambitions and such a famous roster of characters.

The movie remains available to audiences and continues to be a frequent talking point among fans of the genre, whether the subject is Snyder's original vision, the reshoots or the eventual alternate version. Affleck's remarks are sure to add fresh fuel to those debates, offering a candid glimpse at what it was like to be at the center of one of Hollywood's most scrutinized productions.

Source: Hollywood Reporter