Editing Ben Affleck (section)

===2016–2019: Batman and continued directing===
[[File:Ben Affleck by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg|thumb|upright|Affleck at the 2016 [[San Diego Comic-Con]]]]
Given Affleck's growing reputation as a filmmaker, his decision to star as [[Bruce Wayne (DC Extended Universe)|Batman]] in the 2016 superhero film ''[[Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice]]'' was regarded by Dave Itzkoff of ''The New York Times'' as "a somewhat bewildering choice".<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Itzkoff |first1=Dave |title=Ben Affleck's 'Broken' Batman |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/20/movies/ben-affleck-batman-v-superman-dawn-of-justice-interview.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=April 16, 2017 |date=March 14, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112045054/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/20/movies/ben-affleck-batman-v-superman-dawn-of-justice-interview.html |archive-date=January 12, 2017}}</ref> Although the casting announcement was met with intense fan backlash,<ref>{{Cite news|last=McDonald |first=Soraya Nadia |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2015/07/12/paging-hair-and-makeup-ben-affleck-makes-his-first-public-appearance-since-splitting-with-jennifer-garner-at-comic-con/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |title=Paging Hair and Makeup! Ben Affleck Makes his First Public Appearance Since Splitting with Jennifer Garner – at Comic-Con |date=July 12, 2015 |access-date=April 12, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713192952/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2015/07/12/paging-hair-and-makeup-ben-affleck-makes-his-first-public-appearance-since-splitting-with-jennifer-garner-at-comic-con/ |archive-date=July 13, 2015}}</ref> Affleck's performance ultimately earned a positive reception. Andrew Barker of ''Variety'' found him "a winningly cranky, charismatic presence,"<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/batman-v-superman-review-dawn-of-justice-1201735801/ |title=Film Review: 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' |first=Andrew |last=Barker |date=March 22, 2016 |access-date=April 12, 2017 |work=Variety |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203120747/http://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/batman-v-superman-review-dawn-of-justice-1201735801/ |archive-date=February 3, 2017}}</ref> while Brian Truitt of ''USA Today'' enjoyed his "strong" and "surprisingly emotional" take on the character.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Truitt |first=Brian |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/03/22/review-batman-v-superman-dawn-of-justice-movie/82089610/ |title=Review: New Heroes Shine in 'Batman v Superman' |work=USA Today |date=March 22, 2016 |access-date=April 12, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318191901/http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/03/22/review-batman-v-superman-dawn-of-justice-movie/82089610/ |archive-date=March 18, 2017}}</ref> Affleck reprised his role as Batman later that year, making a brief cameo appearance in ''[[Suicide Squad (2016 film)|Suicide Squad]]'' (2016).<ref>{{Cite magazine|last1=Berman|first1=Eliza|title=Does Suicide Squad Really Need That Post-Credits Scene?|magazine=Time|date=August 5, 2016|url=https://time.com/4435399/suicide-squad-post-credits-scene-dc-comics/|access-date=August 21, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170726200538/http://time.com/4435399/suicide-squad-post-credits-scene-dc-comics/|archive-date=July 26, 2017}}</ref> He starred as an [[Autism|autistic]] accountant in the action thriller ''[[The Accountant (2016 film)|The Accountant]]'' (2016), which was an unexpected commercial success.<ref name="accountanthit">{{Cite news|last1=Lincoln |first1=Kevin |title=The Accountant Is a Hit, and Ben Affleck Is Truly a Movie Star Again |url=https://www.vulture.com/2016/10/account-and-affleck-win-at-the-box-office.html |access-date=March 18, 2017 |work=New York |date=October 16, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161219160012/http://www.vulture.com/2016/10/account-and-affleck-win-at-the-box-office.html |archive-date=December 19, 2016}}</ref> Peter Debruge of ''Variety'' felt Affleck's "boy-next-door" demeanor&nbsp;– "so normal and non-actorly that most of his performances feel like watching one of your buddies up on screen"&nbsp;– was "a terrific fit" for the role.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/the-accountant-review-ben-affleck-1201883932/ |title=Film Review: 'The Accountant' |first=Peter |last=Debruge |date=October 12, 2016 |access-date=April 12, 2017 |work=Variety |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170429201657/http://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/the-accountant-review-ben-affleck-1201883932/ |archive-date=April 29, 2017}}</ref> Stephen Holden of ''The New York Times'' wondered why Affleck, "looking appropriately dead-eyed and miserable," committed himself to the film.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Holden |first=Stephen |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/14/movies/review-in-the-accountant-a-savant-with-daddy-issues-has-a-dark-secret.html |title=Review: In 'The Accountant,' Ben Affleck Plays a Savant With a Dark Secret |date=October 13, 2016 |access-date=April 12, 2017 |work=The New York Times |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406173027/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/14/movies/review-in-the-accountant-a-savant-with-daddy-issues-has-a-dark-secret.html |archive-date=April 6, 2017}}</ref>

''[[Live by Night (film)|Live by Night]]'', which Affleck wrote, directed, co-produced, and starred in, was released in late 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/06/lego-movie-live-by-night-bastards-geostorm-warner-bros-release-dates-shifted-1201774989/ |title=Warner Bros Pushes 'Lego Movie 2' Release To 2019 |first=Ross A. |last=Lincoln |date=June 18, 2016 |access-date=April 12, 2017 |website=Deadline Hollywood |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205034952/http://deadline.com/2016/06/lego-movie-live-by-night-bastards-geostorm-warner-bros-release-dates-shifted-1201774989/ |archive-date=February 5, 2017}}</ref> Adapted from [[Dennis Lehane]]'s [[Live by Night|novel of the same name]], the [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]]-era gangster drama received largely unenthusiastic reviews and failed to recoup its $65 million production budget.<ref>{{Cite news|last=McClintock |first=Pamela |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/box-office-why-ben-afflecks-live-by-night-martin-scorseses-silence-fared-poorly-964185/ |title=Box Office: Why Ben Affleck's 'Live by Night' and Martin Scorsese's 'Silence' Fared So Poorly |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=January 14, 2017 |access-date=March 9, 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116155113/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-why-ben-afflecks-live-by-night-martin-scorseses-silence-fared-poorly-964185 |archive-date=January 16, 2017}}</ref> David Sims of ''The Atlantic'' described it as "a fascinating mess of a movie" and criticized Affleck's "stiff, uncomfortable" performance. He noted that one of the last action scenes "is so wonderfully staged, its action crisp and easy to follow, that it reminds you what skill Affleck has with the camera".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/01/ben-affleck-live-by-night-review/512972/ |title='Live by Night' Is Too Epic for Its Own Good |first=David |last=Sims |work=[[The Atlantic]] |date=January 13, 2017 |access-date=April 12, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403221605/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/01/ben-affleck-live-by-night-review/512972/ |archive-date=April 3, 2017}}</ref> In October 2016, Affleck and Damon made a one-off stage appearance for a live reading of the ''Good Will Hunting'' screenplay at New York's [[Skirball Center for the Performing Arts|Skirball Theater]].<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Owen |first1=Paul |title=Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Surprise Fans with Good Will Hunting Reading |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/08/matt-damon-ben-affleck-good-will-hunting-screenplay-reading |work=The Guardian |access-date=April 16, 2017 |date=October 8, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416012704/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/08/matt-damon-ben-affleck-good-will-hunting-screenplay-reading |archive-date=April 16, 2017}}</ref> The superhero film ''[[Justice League (film)|Justice League]]'', in which Affleck returned as Batman, was released in 2017.<ref name=DCEU2017>{{Cite news|last1=Child|first1=Ben|title=Five tasks Justice League must complete to save the DC universe|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/nov/01/five-tasks-justice-league-must-complete-to-save-the-dc-universe|access-date=December 13, 2017|newspaper=The Guardian|date=November 1, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214124456/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/nov/01/five-tasks-justice-league-must-complete-to-save-the-dc-universe|archive-date=December 14, 2017}}</ref> He later described it as a "difficult" on-set experience.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Guerrasio |first1=Jason |title=Ben Affleck says reprising his Batman role in 'The Flash' was fun after a 'difficult' shoot on 'Justice League' |url=https://www.insider.com/ben-affleck-justice-league-shoot-difficult-2021-10 |work=Insider |access-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-date=June 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606065212/https://www.insider.com/ben-affleck-justice-league-shoot-difficult-2021-10 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Zack Snyder]] stepped down during filming due to the death of his daughter,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Kit |first1=Borys |title=Zack Snyder Steps Down From 'Justice League' to Deal With Family Tragedy |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/zack-snyder-steps-down-justice-league-deal-family-tragedy-1006455/ |access-date=October 16, 2021 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=May 22, 2017 |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019051714/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/zack-snyder-steps-down-justice-league-deal-family-tragedy-1006455/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the replacement director [[Joss Whedon]]'s treatment of actors was the subject of complaints,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Walsh |first1=Savannah |title=Gal Gadot Says Joss Whedon "Threatened" Her Career on the Set of Justice League |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/05/gal-gadot-claims-joss-whedon-threatened-her-career-on-the-set-of-justice-league |access-date=October 16, 2021 |work=Vanity Fair Blogs |date=May 10, 2021 |archive-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805234932/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/05/gal-gadot-claims-joss-whedon-threatened-her-career-on-the-set-of-justice-league |url-status=live }}</ref> and Affleck himself was struggling with addiction issues.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Ben Affleck Talks Alcohol Abuse During 'Justice League' & Why The "Suffering" Was All Worth It |url=https://theplaylist.net/ben-affleck-justice-league-alcohol-abuse-20210114/ |access-date=October 16, 2021 |work=theplaylist.net |archive-date=August 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806002647/https://theplaylist.net/ben-affleck-justice-league-alcohol-abuse-20210114/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The film drew mixed opinions from critics; Todd McCarthy of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' wrote that Affleck "looks like he'd rather be almost anywhere else but here."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Justice League Reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/justice-league|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=January 3, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117133710/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/justice-league|archive-date=November 17, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=McCarthy|first1=Todd|title='Justice League': Film Review|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/justice-league-review-1057114/|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|access-date=March 9, 2022|date=November 14, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229044921/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/justice-league-review-1057114|archive-date=December 29, 2017}}</ref>

Amidst an alcoholism relapse, Affleck did not work in 2017.<ref name=tf>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/03/triple-frontier-movie-ben-affleck-oscar-isaac-pedro-pascal-charlie-hunnam-garrett-hedlund-adria-arjona-jc-chandor-netflix-1202345230/|title='Triple Frontier' Finally Going: Affleck, Isaac, Pascal, Hunnam, Hedlund, Arjona In JC Chandor's Lineup|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=March 19, 2018|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=March 26, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324191245/https://deadline.com/2018/03/triple-frontier-movie-ben-affleck-oscar-isaac-pedro-pascal-charlie-hunnam-garrett-hedlund-adria-arjona-jc-chandor-netflix-1202345230/|archive-date=March 24, 2018}}</ref> He stepped down as director, writer and, ultimately, as the star of ''[[The Batman (film)|The Batman]]'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/ben-affleck-the-batman-will-not-direct-1201971566/ |title=Ben Affleck Will Not Direct 'The Batman' (EXCLUSIVE) |work=Variety |first=Justin |last=Kroll |date=January 30, 2017 |access-date=January 30, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131021051/http://variety.com/2017/film/news/ben-affleck-the-batman-will-not-direct-1201971566/ |archive-date=January 31, 2017}}</ref> saying he "couldn't crack it"<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sippell|first=Margeaux|date=February 15, 2019|title=Ben Affleck Explains Why He's Done Playing Batman: 'I Couldn't Crack It'|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/ben-affleck-leaving-batman-explanation-1203141328/|access-date=July 3, 2020|website=Variety|language=en|archive-date=August 21, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821051551/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/ben-affleck-leaving-batman-explanation-1203141328/|url-status=live}}</ref> and no longer felt "passionate" about the story.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Ben Affleck on the pain and catharsis of 'The Way Back' |url=https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-basketball-movies-celebrities-9b204efedba90768b43ff2655d5955e3 |access-date=May 16, 2021 |work=AP NEWS |date=April 20, 2021 |archive-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808013244/https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-basketball-movies-celebrities-9b204efedba90768b43ff2655d5955e3 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Brooks |title=Ben Affleck Tried to Drink Away the Pain. Now He's Trying Honesty. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/18/movies/ben-affleck.html |access-date=December 2, 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=February 18, 2020 |archive-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221004501/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/18/movies/ben-affleck.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Filming of&nbsp;the drug-trafficking thriller ''[[Triple Frontier (film)|Triple Frontier]]'' was postponed by six months in order to accommodate his treatment for "health issues".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Ben Affleck's 'Health Issues' Delayed Triple Frontier by 6 Months, Says Director: 'Was Worth It' |url=https://people.com/movies/ben-affleck-health-issues-delayed-triple-frontier-director/ |access-date=March 15, 2019 |work=People |language=en |archive-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808015745/https://people.com/movies/ben-affleck-health-issues-delayed-triple-frontier-director/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=tf /> Upon ''Triple Frontier''{{'s}} release in 2019, Rodrigo Perez of ''The Playlist'' remarked that director [[J.C. Chandor]] "gets a lot of mileage out of the Sad Affleck narrative and perhaps both director and actor lean into the idea."<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Perez |first1=Rodrigo |title='Triple Frontier': J.C. Chandor Crafts A Tense Jungle Action Thriller About The Cost Of Greed [Review] |url=https://theplaylist.net/triple-frontier-review-20190308/ |access-date=August 3, 2019 |work=theplaylist.net |archive-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808020544/https://theplaylist.net/triple-frontier-review-20190308/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Later in 2019, Affleck made a cameo appearance in ''[[Jay and Silent Bob Reboot]]'', having had little contact with Kevin Smith since the making of ''Clerks II'' in 2006.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Stern |first1=Marlow |title=Kevin Smith's Marijuanaissance: On 'Tusk,' 'Falling Out' with Ben Affleck, and 20 Years of 'Clerks' |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/09/kevin-smith-s-marijuanaissance-on-tusk-falling-out-with-ben-affleck-and-20-years-of-clerks.html |newspaper=The Daily Beast |access-date=April 15, 2017 |date=September 9, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225141228/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/09/kevin-smith-s-marijuanaissance-on-tusk-falling-out-with-ben-affleck-and-20-years-of-clerks.html |archive-date=December 25, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kevin Smith On Reuniting With Ben Affleck, Being Proud Of His Daughter |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX0325n7O6Q | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211114/QX0325n7O6Q| archive-date=November 14, 2021 | url-status=live|website=ET Canada |access-date=August 2, 2019 |language=en}}{{Cbignore}}</ref> Affleck played a supporting role as a diplomat in [[Dee Rees]]'s political thriller ''[[The Last Thing He Wanted (film)|The Last Thing He Wanted]]'' (2020). The [[Netflix]] movie, filmed in mid-2018, received negative reviews from critics,<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Last Thing He Wanted (2020)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_last_thing_he_wanted|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=February 11, 2020|archive-date=August 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802222305/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_last_thing_he_wanted|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/video/the-last-thing-he-wanted-anne-hathaway-dee-rees-rosie-perez-edi-gathegi-sundance-joan-didion/|title='The Last Thing He Wanted': Anne Hathaway Talks Being "Too Sweet" For Dee Rees's Adaptation Of Joan Didion's Novel – Sundance Studio|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Dino-Ray|last=Ramos|date=January 28, 2020|access-date=February 11, 2020|archive-date=February 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219190402/https://deadline.com/video/the-last-thing-he-wanted-anne-hathaway-dee-rees-rosie-perez-edi-gathegi-sundance-joan-didion/|url-status=live}}</ref> with Tomris Laffly of ''Variety'' describing Affleck's performance as "oddly removed".<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Laffly |first1=Tomris |title='The Last Thing He Wanted': Film Review |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/the-last-thing-he-wanted-review-1203483526/ |work=Variety |date=January 28, 2020 |language=en |access-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808033501/https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/the-last-thing-he-wanted-review-1203483526/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Affleck's starring role as a recovering alcoholic in the sports drama ''[[The Way Back (2020 film)|The Way Back]]'' (2020) was widely praised.<ref>{{Cite news |title=The Way Back (2020) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_way_back_2020/ |access-date=March 7, 2020 |language=en |archive-date=March 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307020101/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_way_back_2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> The themes of the movie were "close to home" for Affleck.<ref name=news.com.au>{{Cite news |title=Truth behind infamous 2018 Ben Affleck photos |url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/truth-behind-infamous-2018-ben-affleck-photos/news-story/6492d4b17a68b4ffcddefeedc38c10c8 |access-date=February 26, 2020 |work=NewsComAu |date=February 25, 2020 |language=en |archive-date=August 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810011039/https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/truth-behind-infamous-2018-ben-affleck-photos/news-story/6492d4b17a68b4ffcddefeedc38c10c8 |url-status=live }}</ref> He relapsed during pre-production in 2018<ref name=news.com.au/> and the movie was shot in the days after he left rehab; Affleck agreed to put his salary in escrow and was accompanied to set by a sober coach.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Gary |title=This Penn grad directed Ben Affleck's new 'The Way Back,' but don't expect him to read about it on TMZ |url=https://www.inquirer.com/arts/ben-affleck-the-way-back-movie-gavin-o-connor-director-20200301.html |access-date=March 1, 2020 |work=inquirer.com |archive-date=August 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809180834/https://www.inquirer.com/arts/ben-affleck-the-way-back-movie-gavin-o-connor-director-20200301.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Richard Lawson of ''Vanity Fair'' said it was hard to avoid the movie's "meta angle": "Affleck handles his self-conscious task with a generous humility—giving a performance built not out of histrionics or big actor moments, but instead from the messy details of a man in a plateaued distress".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Lawson |first1=Richard |title=Review: Ben Affleck Saves Himself in The Way Back |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/03/ben-affleck-the-way-back-movie-basketball-review |access-date=March 4, 2020 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en |archive-date=August 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810014457/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/03/ben-affleck-the-way-back-movie-basketball-review |url-status=live }}</ref> David Sims of ''The Atlantic'' praised the "subtlety", "vulnerability" and "lumbering physicality" of his performance, describing it as "the rawest and most natural" work of his career.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Sims |first1=David |title=Ben Affleck Gives the Performance of His Career |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/03/ben-affleck-and-way-back/607537/ |access-date=March 7, 2020 |work=The Atlantic |date=March 7, 2020 |archive-date=August 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809024452/https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/03/ben-affleck-and-way-back/607537/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], cinemas closed in the second week of the movie's release and Warner Bros. made it available to view-on-demand earlier than scheduled.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=D'Alessandro |first1=Anthony |title=Ben Affleck Drama 'The Way Back' Heads Into Homes As Theaters Close |url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/ben-affleck-the-way-back-home-home-release-coronavirus-1202888121/ |access-date=March 20, 2020 |work=Deadline |date=March 19, 2020 |language=en |archive-date=March 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320004117/https://deadline.com/2020/03/ben-affleck-the-way-back-home-home-release-coronavirus-1202888121/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He received a Best Actor nomination at the [[26th Critics' Choice Awards|2021 Critics' Choice Awards]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/news/article/critics-choice-awards-2021-winners|title=Critics' Choice Awards 2021: All The Winners In Full|first=Emma|last=Specter|date=March 8, 2021|work=Vogue|access-date=March 31, 2021|archive-date=April 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413173932/https://www.vogue.co.uk/news/article/critics-choice-awards-2021-winners|url-status=live}}</ref> Also in 2021, Snyder's [[Zack Snyder's Justice League|director's cut of ''Justice League'']] featured a newly filmed scene with Affleck.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Sharf |first1=Zack |title=Ben Affleck, Jared Leto Were Never on Set Together to Film the One New 'Justice League' Scene |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2021/03/ben-affleck-jared-leto-justice-league-scene-filmed-separately-1234624531/ |access-date=June 5, 2021 |work=IndieWire |date=March 18, 2021 |language=en |archive-date=August 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810031008/https://www.indiewire.com/2021/03/ben-affleck-jared-leto-justice-league-scene-filmed-separately-1234624531/ |url-status=live }}</ref>