More than a year after Ben Affleck said he was done playing Batman, he'll reprise the role in 'The Flash' movie

• Ben Affleck will play Batman again in 2022's "The Flash" movie.
• Director Andy Muschietti confirmed Affleck's return in an interview with Vanity Fair.
• Affleck previously announced his departure from the role in February 2019.
• Robert Pattinson will play a younger version of Bruce Wayne/Batman in another Batman movie coming out next year.

Batfleck is back.

Vanity Fair reports Ben Affleck has agreed to reprise his role as Batman/Bruce Wayne in "The Flash" movie.

Director Andy Muschietti ("It") confirmed Affleck's return and the role he'll play in the 2022 film.

"It's Barry's movie, it's Barry's story, but their characters are more related than we think," Muschietti told Vanity Fair. "They both lost their mothers to murder, and that's one of the emotional vessels of the movie. That's where the Affleck Batman kicks in."

Wayne recruited Barry Allen in 2017's "Justice League" to help save the world from Steppenwolf and a group of parademons. The two will be seen on screen again in Zack Snyder's cut of the film, which will debut on HBO Max.

Affleck joins Michael Keaton who will reprise his role as Tim Burton's version of the Caped Crusader.

How does that work? "The Flash" movie will follow the popular "Flashpoint" storyline from the comics, which deals with an alternate timeline. (Think Sony's "Spider-Verse" film which incorporates multiple iterations of Spider-Man.)

According to Muschietti, Keaton will have a "substantial" part in the film.

The news of Affleck's return to the role comes as a surprise. In March, Affleck told GQ he lost his enthusiasm and passion for the role. Affleck was originally set to write, direct, and star in his own standalone Batman movie.

In February 2019, Affleck confirmed he was stepping down from the role.

"I tried to direct a version of it and, worked with a really good screenwriter, but just couldn't come up with a version of — I couldn't crack it," Affleck told Kimmel. "So, I thought it was time to let someone else take a shot at. They've got some really good people."

Matt Reeves is now directing a new film with Robert Pattinson as a younger Bruce Wayne. It's unclear whether or not Pattinson is playing a younger version of Affleck's Batman or another incarnation of the character entirely.

Footage for the new film is expected to debut Saturday during Warner Bros.' virtual DC FanDome event.

Warner Bros. has not returned Insider's request for comment.