Matt Reeves confirmed as director of 'The Batman'

Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Warner Bros. Pictures Thursday confirmed Matt Reeves will direct The Batman.

Best known for his work on Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Cloverfield, Reeves will also serve as a producer on the Caped Crusader's upcoming adventure.

"We are thrilled to have Matt Reeves taking the helm of Batman, the crown jewel of our DC slate. Matt's deep roots in genre films and his evolution into an emotional world-building director make him the perfect filmmaker to guide the Dark Knight through this next journey," Toby Emmerich, president and chief content officer of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said in a statement.

"I have loved the Batman story since I was a child. He is such an iconic and compelling character, and one that resonates with me deeply. I am incredibly honored and excited to be working with Warner Bros. to bring an epic and emotional new take on the Caped Crusader to the big screen," Reeves added.

The film's star Ben Affleck stepped down as director of The Batman last month, stating he didn't think he could handle both jobs effectively. Affleck previously played the brooding superhero in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad.