Colin Farrell thinks Ben Affleck "will kill as Batman" and hopes his pal's performance in the sequel to "Man of Steel" will shut the critics up. Farrell appeared alongside Affleck in the 2013 film "Daredevil" and told Totalfilm.com he is confident Affleck will make an excellent Caped Crusader.

When Affleck was announced for the role, the Internet exploded with harsh comments about the casting decision.

"Good luck to him. I think he'll do a great job. As an actor, I don't know that I know anybody that's improved as much as he has. That sounds like a s**t thing to say," Farrell said.

"I always enjoyed watching him, as a director he's extraordinary too, but his work in 'the Town' and 'Argo,' he was so fantastic in both those films," he added. "In 'Argo,' it was such a controlled performance. I think he'll kill as Batman, I hope he does and shuts the naysayers up."

Affleck who is well-aware of the backlash the casting decision received did an interview in December saying that he initially turned down the role but Warner Bros. convinced him to at least see what Zack Synder had in store for Batman.

"The stuff was incredible," he said. "It was a unique take on Batman that was still consistent with the mythology. It made me excited. All of a sudden I had a reading of the character. When people see it, it will make more sense than it does now or even than it did to me initially... if I thought the result would be another 'Daredevil,' I'd be out there picketing myself. Why would I make the movie if I didn't think it was going to be good and that I couldn't be good in it?"

Warner Bros. has stood by their decision to cast the 41-year-old as Batman.

The sequel to "Man of Steel," which has not been given an official title, is scheduled to hit theaters May 6, 2016.