As time goes by, it's beginning to look like Ben Affleck's tenure as Batman might not last much longer. Rumors have swirled that the actor is looking for a way out of the role after the lackluster debut of Zack Snyder's Justice League, and that means a recasting situation is likely on the horizon. One name that has consistently popped up in the discussion of recasting is Jake Gyllenhaal, and a new piece of fan art has surfaced showing what the Donnie Darko actor could look like as The Caped Crusader. Check it out, below.
We don't get a full body shot of Jake Gyllenhaal in a Batman costume, but we do get a very cool glimpse at what his face could look like in a cowl. It's not much to go by, but it shows that he could indeed make it work. He already has the hair color and skin complexion that we typically associate with Bruce Wayne, but knowing that he also looks good with the mask on definitely feels like icing on the cake.
Couple that with his commitment to physicality seen in films like Southpaw, as well as the raw intensity that he has put on display in movies like Nightcrawler, and there's a strong case to be made that Jake Gyllenhaal is a perfect replacement for Ben Affleck.
There's also a matter of longevity in the role. At 37-year-old, Jake Gyllenhaal could realistically debut under the cape and cowl before his 40th birthday, if the folks at DC decide to work double time and recast Ben Affleck quickly. With Gyllenhaal almost a full decade younger than Affleck, he could stay in the role as Batman for some time without fear of aging out -- which, for a highly-physical character like Batman, is always a significant concern.
Of course, amid all of these pros and cons that we could discuss for hours on end, it's worth mentioning that nothing official has happened yet. Jake Gyllenhaal is one name that has been consistently thrown around in recent weeks, but so have other actors -- such as Jon Hamm. No definitive replacement for Ben Affleck has been announced yet, but this piece of fan art shows that Gyllenhaal certainly could look cool in a black cowl.
At this point, we are just going to have to wait and see what happens in terms of future Batman casting. Jake Gyllenhaal is one viable option, but there are plenty of other actors out there who could potentially do great work as our new Caped Crusader. Until we learn more information about the future of The Dark Knight on the big screen, you can take a look at our 2018 movie premiere guide to get more information on the films set to debut this year.
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