Ben Affleck feared he was too old for Batman role

Hollywood actor Ben Affleck was surprised to be offered the role of Batman because he was convinced he was too old to play the superhero.

The 42-year-old Argo star was caught off-guard when producers offered him the role in upcoming blockbuster Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and admits he was worried his age would be a problem.

He tells Entertainment Weekly, "My first reaction was, 'Are you sure?' At the time I was 40, 41, and had just finished Argo, and I felt like, 'This seems like a strange way to get to Batman.'"

However, Affleck later understood director Zack Snyder's vision when he realized Batman's alter-ego Bruce Wayne would be portrayed as an "ageing playboy".

Affleck adds, "He (the character) really keeps up the image of the playboy, actively... So you have more of a dichotomy which I thought was really fun, and a little sad, like the ageing playboy."

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, also starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons and Jesse Eisenberg, is set for release in March, 2016.