It's been a wild week for DC fans, who are no doubt exhausted from the myriad updates regarding the live-action universe. Beginning with the first glimpse as Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), exciting updates arrived for both The Suicide Squad and The Batman, essentially breaking the internet in the process. The latter will be directed by Matt Reeves, with the film finally moving forward with a release date.
Matt Reeves also revealed that the film is focused on a younger Bruce Wayne, with Ben Affleck apparently hanging up his cape and cowl in the process. The casting process for The Batman hasn't begun, but there are already plenty of names being thrown around. And they should be, as the Planet of the Apes director is reportedly looking for a familiar face to play the Caped Crusader.
This news comes to us from Variety's Justin Kroll, who reports that Matt Reeves is looking for a big name actor to play Bruce Wayne/Batman in his upcoming DC blockbuster. And he's looking for a very specific age range for the younger vigilante, making the casting process very specific. Still, it doesn't look like we're getting an unknown actor suiting up to play Gotham's protector.
It should be interesting to see who Matt Reeves ultimately lands on to play Batman. There are certainly some big shoes to fill, as Batman is one of the most popular comic book characters of all time, and has already been adapted for the silver and small screen quite a few times. The most recent is obviously Ben Affleck, who brought an experienced and jaded Caped Crusader to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
While Batman v Superman and Justice League were critical and box office letdowns, Ben Affleck's performance as Bruce Wayne was widely considered a high point. He brought an energy that no other Bat has brought to the silver screen before, with his action sequences closely resembling the Arkham video games. But after the disappointing performance of both films, it appears that Affleck is ready to step away from his role in the DCEU.
Now the question is: who could take on the mantle of Batman for Matt Reeves' upcoming solo flick? Comic book casting is a tricky process, as the fandom is eager to cast judgement if the "wrong" performer is selected. The new Batman may be younger than Ben Affleck's version, but he's still going to need the right physicality, intensity, and the charm and looks to pull of Bruce Wayne.
Matt will focus on the detective side of the Dark Knight with The Batman. Furthermore, there will be a rogues gallery of villains. Hopefully this includes Penguin, so Josh Gad could stop campaigning for the role.
The Batman is currently set to arrive in theaters on June 25th, 2021. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
