Update: Armie Hammer debunks The Batman casting rumors himself.

Armie Hammer was rumored to be in final talks to portray The Batman for director Matt Reeves - but the report was (potentially) debunked shortly after surfacing. For the past handful of years, the role of the Caped Crusader has been filled by Ben Affleck, who made three appearances as the character in the DC Extended Universe. However, after years of rumors and speculation, he officially stepped down as Batman, paving the way for a new actor to take over in Reeves’ upcoming standalone, which is due in 2021.

Since Affleck announced he’s no longer Batman, there has been no shortage of possible replacements named. Nick Jonas offered his services to Warner Bros./DC, and fan art emerged of Robert Pattinson as the next Bruce Wayne. Fortunately, it may not have taken the studio a long time to find their man, and it’s coincidentally the person who had the best odds to step in for Affleck in the first place.

According to Revenge of the Fans, Hammer is final talks to be the lead in The Batman. It’s important to note that at this point in time, the actor has not officially boarded the project - and this is just a rumor at this point. In contrast, however, The Wrap’s Umberto Gonzalez tweeted there currently are “no targeted names” and The Batman lead will likely be someone younger than Hammer, who is 32 years old. Screen Rant reached out to the source and will update this post accordingly.

For what it’s worth (and it’s worth a lot), scooper Borys Kit is also weighing in - claiming that any talk of Armie Hammer casting is premature.

Setting aside whether or not Hammer has heard anything from Reeves at this point, many people know this would be far from Hammer’s first rodeo in the realm of superhero movies. Back in 2007, he was cast as Batman for George Miller’s Justice League: Mortal, a film Hammer is now relieved never came into fruition. More recently, the actor had been tied to other DC characters such as Shazam and Green Lantern, but (if this is true) his career’s now come full circle and he will finally get a chance to portray Gotham City’s favorite son. Hammer certainly seems like a strong choice for the part. He sports the suaveness and charisma to realistically portray a playboy billionaire, and can also knock out action set pieces with ease (as he demonstrated in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.). Hammer is also a well-rounded performer, appearing in intimate character dramas (Call Me By Your Name), offbeat indie offerings (Sorry to Bother You) and everything in between over the course of his career. There’s a reason why he was the bookies’ favorite and he could be able to bring something interesting to the role if he indeed joins The Batman.

Since The Lone Ranger flopped in 2013, Hammer has largely stayed away from live-action tentpole and franchise fare (U.N.C.L.E. never kicked off the series many feels it deserves), but working with someone like Reeves has its appeal. The helmsman has proved his worth multiple times, particularly on his acclaimed Planet of the Apes installments. Those films were noteworthy for their incredible combination of groundbreaking visual effects and compelling character work, and fans can’t wait to see what Reeves brings to DC. Hopefully, we get some Dark Knight casting soon and The Batman can finally return to solo movie greatness and stand alongside DC’s other blockbuster heroes Wonder Woman and Aquaman.

More: Does The DCEU Need A New Batman Actor?

Source: Revenge of the Fans, Umberto Gonzalez

  • The Batman Release Date: 2022-03-04