Is he? Isn't he? Will he? Won't he?
If the question of whether Ben Affleck will play the iconic superhero Batman in the planned film The Batman spun any faster, he'd surely turn into Wonder Woman.
Today comes a seemingly definitive answer that he won't be playing the caped crusader in the highly anticipated film. But the response does not come from the actor himself, rather from his brother Casey.
During a radio interview in the US, Casey Affleck was asked about the perplexing issue.
"I thought he was an okay Batman, no, he was great, he was great," Affleck said. "He's a hero, so he had something to channel and work with there.
"But he's not going to do that movie, I don't think, sorry to say," Affleck added.
Realising he may have said too much, the younger Affleck quickly followed with: "Is that breaking news? Because I was just kind of making that up, I don't know."
Confused? Join the club.
Speculation has dogged plans for The Batman almost since they were announced.
Initially, Ben Affleck was to write, direct, produce and play Batman, a mantle he took on with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and will return to in the planned series of Justice League films.
But then he stepped down from directing duties, and was replaced by Matt Reeves; it was also revealed that Reeves would likely be working with a different script.
And then finally speculation began suggesting Affleck himself would leave the role.
That speculation surfaced during Comic-Con last month, but the studio Warner Bros hosed it down insisting that Affleck would remain as The Batman.
"Let me be very clear, I am the luckiest guy in the world," said. "Batman is the coolest part in the universe. I'm so thrilled to do it. It's f---king amazing."
Affleck's iteration of Batman made its debut in the 2016 film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and was followed by a cameo appearance in Suicide Squad, released the same year.
The next major project in which the character will appear is Justice League, due out later this year, in which Affleck's Batman will team up with Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa's Aquaman and other heroes from the DC Comics canon.
That will be followed by an as yet untitled Justice League sequel, planned most likely for 2018 or 2019.
Production on The Batman will now likely be 2018, which means a 2019 or 2020 release.
Warner Bros has not commented on the reports.
