DETROIT -- Ben Affleck says his time in the Detroit area, where he's been filming "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice," has made a big impression on him.

The actor tells the Detroit Free Press in an interview published Monday he toured some factories where cars are built and was "moved by how American industry is actually employing American workers here in Michigan."

Affleck says he "got a Ford and got a GM car" as a way to "contribute to the economic well-being of this area." He has been exploring the region with his wife, Jennifer Garner, and says Detroit deserves more national attention for its economic struggles.

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is scheduled for release in 2016. Affleck also stars in "Gone Girl," a thriller out this fall.