DC just can’t seem to catch a break in the good news department.

After recent news that Ben Affleck is stepping down as director on The Batman, rumours are swirling that the Oscar-winner wants to drop the Dark Knight completely.

Following Marvel’s lead, Warner Bros kick-started its DC Cinematic Universe in 2013 with Man of Steel. Affleck made his debut as the Caped Crusader in last year’s poorly received Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad.

He continues the role later this year in Zack Snyder-directed Justice League.

Affleck was set to write and direct a standalone Batman, but he pulled out as director last month.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes filmmaker Matt Reeves has taken over, but it’s likely that the script will be rewritten again.

And the plot continues to thicken.

Speaking on Collider’s Movie Talk podcast film journalist John Campea is claiming that Affleck might be looking for a way to negotiate an exit from the role.

“Over the past four days, I’ve talked to three separate people, who are connected in some way, to what is going on over at Warner Bros,” Campea says.

“What has come out of the conversation with all three was this. They’re telling me that, Ben Affleck, make no mistake, he does want out. He doesn’t want to be Batman anymore.”

Affleck has a multi-picture deal to play the character, but has said that he will not make a solo Batman movie if the script isn’t good.

"I’m definitely going to make sure I have something that is special — there’s not enough money in the world to make a mediocre version of Batman worth it," Affleck said in EW's Best of 2016 issue.

When Warner Bros’ set up its interconnected DCEU, they copied Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. Storylines will overlap, all leading up to team up films, Justice League 1 later this year and Justice League 2, likely in 2019.

The studio’s plans have so far not gone according to plan. BvS and Suicide Squad were critically panned, while forthcoming features have dealt with bad press long before hitting screens.

Patty Jenkins, the director of Wonder Woman, was forced to deny a rumour her film was “a mess,” while the Flash lost two directors.

If Affleck exits after his solo Batman, he’d need to be recast for Justice League 2 since it’s doubtful Warner Bros will reboot its Cinematic Universe so soon. Marvel recast both the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and War Machine (Don Cheadle), so finding a replacement for Batfleck shouldn’t be too hard (Hey, Christian Bale, does the suit still fit?).

Then again, if Wonder Woman and Justice League don’t perform critically or financially, the studio may cut its losses and start from scratch.

Remember what happened to Spider-Man?

Twitter: @markhdaniell

MDaniell@postmedia.com