Per multiple reports, the 46-year-old actor-who played the Caped Crusader in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, and Justice League-will not reprise his role in next years The Batman. Affleck seemed to confirm the news in a tweet Thursday morning.
Excited for #TheBatman in Summer 2021 and to see @MattReevesLA vision come to life. https://t.co/GNgyJroMIO - Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) January 31, 2019
Excited for #TheBatman in Summer 2021 and to see [Matt Reeves] vision come to life, Affleck tweeted, linking to a exclusive on the torch-passing.
Reeves, who helmed Cloverfield and the two most recent Planet of the Apes flicks, is signed on to write an direct the latest Batman film, and was expected to handpick his own new Batman to replace Affleck.
Reeves has yet to announce who will step into the iconic role, but we have some ideas about who might be a good fit to protect the citizens of Gotham City.
1. Wes Bentley
Bentley's got the hair, the chiseled face and the seal of approval from Christopher Nolan -apparently, Bentley was the Dark Knight trilogy director's first pick to replace Christian Bale as the man behind the mask.
2. Luke Evans
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Evans has an edge about him that would make him the perfect, mysterious, masked vigilante. He already has the look with his dark hair and sharp facial features, and playing Bruce Wayne would help with his reputation of being typecast as a villain.
3. Matt Damon
Academy Award-winner Damon is a badass, and we could definitely seem him as a billionaire with a couple-hundred massive secrets. Plus, he and Affleck are best friends- they have similar acting styles and know each other well enough that it would be an easy transition all-around. Also, have you seen how ripped he is ?
4. Jamie Dornan
Yes, it's the guy from 50 Shades of Grey . But he's got the cool, calm persona and that mystery about him; you never know quite what he's thinking-or what he's entirely capable of. Sounds like perfect material for Bruce Wayne.
5. Jon Hamm
Hamm doesnt just like the Bruce Wayne of the . After spending years as Don Draper, he also has experience playing a tortured protagonist with a double life - something that could come in handy in a role as the playboy businessman Wayne moonlighting as the Caped Crusader.
6. Idris Elba
Elba has long been a leading candidate to play James Bond. But the 46-year-old Englishman would also be a perfect fit to play Batman. Bruce Wayne, after all, is basically the American Bond-and, after playing Heimdall in five Marvel flicks, we know he can handle a superhero movie.
7. Armie Hammer
Hammers star has only risen since playing the Winklevoss twins in 2010s The Social Network. Now with leading man cache and Bruce Wayne-level charisma, he would seemingly be a strong contender for the role.
8. Michael B. Jordan
MBJ is already plenty busy, as hes set to reprise his role as Killmonger in the upcoming sequel to last years Black Panther. But just think of how awesome it would be if he could fit a turn as Bruce Wayne into his schedule? We know he can help carry a superhero movie-he was part of a celebrated cast that made the groundbreaking Black Panther one of the most critically-lauded superhero films of all time. Imagine the intensity he could bring to Batman.
9. Michael Fassbender
Fassbender is one of the best actors of his generation, and has as varied a career as anyone working today, earning acclaim for his challenging roles in dramatic fare as well as his work as Marvel supervillain Magneto. Batman could be a good role for the 41-year-old German to bring it all together.
10. Christian Bale
Come on, guys. You know you want him back. Bale is the Batman, even with the hyper-raspy voice that makes you wonder if they have any cough drops lying around for him. Get him back in the mix and we will all be very, very happy.