Ben Affleck Batman movie coming to DC Universe

Looks like Ben Affleck will be staying in Gotham for a little while. The Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice star is planning to direct and star in a standalone Batman movie, EW has confirmed.

The Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice actor will co-write the film with Geoff Johns, the acclaimed comics scribe and chief creative officer for DC Entertainment, sources confirm. The script would be set after the events of Dawn of Justice and the 2017 tentpole Justice League, which will unite DC’s slate of superheroes on the big screen.

Warner Bros. had no comment. The news was first reported by Deadline.

Affleck, of course, is taking over the cape and cowl from Christian Bale, who played the Dark Knight in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. The Oscar-winning actor-director is expected to begin shooting another directorial project in November — Live By Night, an adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s novel of the same name.

And Johns has helped usher in the success of Warner Bros. Television’s DC Comics-themed programming including The Flash, Arrow, Smallville, and the much anticipated Supergirl.

Affleck is scheduled to take the stage Saturday during Warners’ San Diego Comic-Con panel presentation, along with Dawn of Justice director Zack Snyder, Superman actor Henry Cavill, Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot, and fellow castmembers Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, and Holly Hunter.

Stay tuned for more Comic-Con updates.

•Everything to know about EW’s Comic-Con 2015 coverage

•See the schedule for Comic-Con’s movie panels

•See the schedule for Comic-Con’s TV panels

•9 burning questions about Comic-Con 2015

Click here for more of Entertainment Weekly’s Comic-Con coverage