The reason why Ben Affleck might be replaced as Batman

In many respects, Ben Affleck has had a storied, glittering career; from Good Will Hunting to Argo, his showbusiness path has been peppered with Oscars. Basically, this man knows how to make a mean Hollywood motion picture.

But there’s been another, more painful side to the 46-year-old actor’s life: his very public struggles with addiction.

Back in 1998, Affleck said he’d given up alcohol after realising it was “dangerous” for him and he’s been to rehab many times since then.

These alcoholism problems came back into public view in a very big way last week when shocking paparazzi photos emerged of Ben being hastily driven to rehab again by estranged wife Jennifer Garner.

And now it’s being reported that Ben Affleck could lose his high-profile Batman role in part because the cost of insuring him might have gotten too steep, according to TheWrap.

“More than likely the studio will replace him because the insurance costs are going to go through the roof,” a representative for an insurance company told the publication.

“He would be bondable, but the deductible would be really high, probably the budget of the film,” an attorney who specializes in insurance products added.

But Affleck isn’t the first star to have run into personal problems that have affected his professional life: both Robert Downey Jr. and Mel Gibson have reportedly faced similar insurance problems in the past.

There were already rumours, before these latest issues, that Batman writer-director Matt Reeves was intending to reboot the franchise with a new leading man and we’ve previously taken a look at some of the frontrunners.

Insiders have suggested that if Affleck is able to get help to manage his alcoholism, he should focus on making lower-budget, indie films for a while before trying to make another big-budget picture.

“In the grand scheme, Affleck has a proven track record of critical and commercial success,” the attorney said. “I would expect that there will still be a market for him as an artist.”

See our list of Best Batman Graphic Novels

- Click here for information about alcoholism and how you can find support

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(Image: DC Entertainment / Warner Bros. Pictures)