In a new interview with The New York Times Ben Affleck reveals why he quit The Batman. The actor was originally slated to star as the Dark Knight, in addition to directing the film alongside Matt Reeves.

Affleck explains that the exit was caused by his on-and-off struggles with alcohol. "I showed somebody The Batman script. They said, ‘I think the script is good. I also think you’ll drink yourself to death if you go through what you just went through again.’”

The actor also opened up about living with an alcoholic father. "There’s a lot of alcoholism and mental illness in my family. The legacy of that is quite powerful and sometimes hard to shake."

It was first reported in January 2019 that Affleck was quitting the Reeves-directed film. The actor previously played the role of Bruce Wayne in Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, and Suicide Squad.

The Batman is scheduled to arrive in theaters in the U.S. on June 25, 2021. The current cast includes Robert Pattinson in the title role, Colin Farrell as The Penguin, Paul Dano as Riddler, and Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman.