Ben Affleck is stepping out of the director's chair for his upcoming superhero flick "The Batman."

The actor-director will still star in and produce the film, but another filmmaker will now helm the project, Variety reports. There had been rumors suggesting that he planned to hand off the job, and now he has made it official. The news comes on the heels of his film "Live by Night" making a poor showing the box office, but sources tell Variety the decision is unrelated.

As Affleck explains it, stepping down allows him to give playing an iconic hero like Batman the attention it needs.

"There are certain characters who hold a special place in the hearts of millions," Affleck said in a statement. "Performing this role demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can give. It has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require."

It sounds reasonable enough. He's not superhuman, after all; he just plays one on the big screen.

Affleck and Warner Bros. are on the hunt for a replacement, and Variety sources say they already have a shortlist. The only name mentioned was that of Matt Reeves, director of "War for the Planet of the Apes." We'll find out who steps in to save the day in the coming months.

In the meantime, we have Affleck's role in "Justice League" to look forward to. The film opens on Nov. 17.

[via: Variety]