The DC live-action universe is in a fascinating place right now. Warner Bros. is still surfing on the massive success of James Wan's Aquaman, while also gearing up for upcoming releases of Shazam!, Birds of Prey and Joker. But there are still plenty of projects up in the air, perhaps the most significant being Matt Reeves' The Batman. The developing blockbuster will reportedly feature a younger Batman, as Ben Affleck has officially hung up his cowl and cape for good.
There are plenty of names being thrown around to potentially take on the role, including Jake Gyllenhaal and Armie Hammer. Rumors about Hammer's potential involvement recently gained some momentum, but it looks like there wasn't any truth to them. The Wraps' Umberto Gonzalez reached out to the appropriate parties, and he revealed the news in a series of tweets that read:
Armie Hammer. Batman. Not true. I just checked with the studio. And now agency sourcing backing up what the studio said.
Well, that seems pretty cut and dry. Armie Hammer isn't in final negotiations to play Matt Reeves' Batman. Furthermore, he might not be in talks at all, if the studio's correspondence is to be believed.
Umberto Gonzalez's tweets seem to put the kibosh on Armie Hammer's heavily rumored involvement in The Batman. Fans began throwing names around for potential replacements for Ben Affleck months ago, as the actor began slowly approaching his exit from the DCEU. And with his departure now official, the call for a new Dark Knight has become almost deafening.
Unfortunately, it looks like those rumors are going to keep swirling, as Armie Hammer isn't taking on the mantle from Ben Affleck. As such, the conversation around who could play Matt Reeves' Batman will continue, at least until an official announcement finally arrives. And with the director recently revealing the type of movie and actor he's looking to bring together, it seems like just about anyone could end up in Batman's signature suit.
Despite the myriad setbacks, Matt Reeves does appear to be committed to Bruce Wayne's solo flick in The Batman. The developing project will reportedly be very inspired by noir films, and will focus on the detective work of Gotham's protector. The director is also looking for an actor younger than Ben Affleck, allowing the upcoming blockbuster to reboot the character in the shared universe. As for who that actor might be, it's anyone's guess at this point.
While Armie Hammer isn't in final talks to play the new Bruce Wayne, its a relief to know that Matt Reeves and the studio are still working on the solo flick. Things looked precarious as Ben Affleck departed as both director and star, but now it seems that the shard universe will simply have a new Dark Knight.
CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things The Batman. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
