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After years of sitting in development hell, Matt Reeves' The Batman is finally coming together. The Dawn of the Planet of the Apes director will make his DC debut with that upcoming blockbuster, introducing a new Bruce Wayne to audiences with Robert Pattinson playing the title character. Reeves has been slowly assembling its cast and crew, with Zoe Kravitz and Jeffrey Wright announced to be playing Catwoman and Commissioner Gordon respectively. Jonah Hill was circling a villain role, although those talks have come to an end. And now it seems his collaborator Seth Rogen was also up for a villainous role in the upcoming blockbuster.
Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill became household names with their work on Superbad and other comedies. But they've both been able to translate their talents into dramatic roles, while also serving as writers and producers on a variety of projects. And it turns out both names were thrown around for a possible role in The Batman, although it doesn't look like Matt Reeves landed either of them to sign on to the upcoming DC movie.
This news comes to us from Deadline, and is sure to send some DC fans' heads spinning. The report was largely focused on the talks between Jonah Hill and Warner Bros. falling through, which might be partly related to the actor's proposed payment. But later in that same story, it was revealed that there was interest in bringing Seth Rogen to play The Penguin. But reportedly no offers or real talks with the Knocked Up actor occurred.
If this (unconfirmed) report is to believed, it's clear that Matt Reeves is trying to get some big names on board for The Batman. Robert Pattinson is obviously famous for his tenure in Twilight, and every other name that's been revealed has been a household one. Westworld has made Jeffrey Wright a big star, while Zoe Kravitz has starred in projects like Big Little Lies, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and Mad Max: Fury Road. Additionally, both Jonah Hill and Seth Rogen are big names as well.
Related: 8 Villains The Batman Should Use For Its Rogues Gallery
While it looks like Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill likely won't actually make it into the highly anticipated DC movie, I have to wonder what other talent Matt Reeves will eventually bring into the fold for The Batman. Early reports about the mysterious movie indicated that Robert Pattinson's Batman (Battinson?) will be interacting with quite a few members from his rogues gallery. Which villains remain a mystery, but smart money says The Penguin will make an appearance, especially since that's the role Seth Rogen was reportedly considered for. In the meantime, fans can pour over Batman's comics here for any clue about which villains might be popping up on the big screen
Regardless, it's clear that development is finally moving forward for The Batman, and that the Dark Knight will return to the DCEU with a vengeance. It should be interesting to see how Matt Reeves introduced the new Bruce Wayne to audience and if/when he acknowledges Ben Affleck's brief tenure as the world's greatest detective. But clearly Gotham City is becoming a more important setting within the shared universe, especially with Birds of Prey arriving in a few months.
The Batman is currently expected to arrive in theaters on June 25th. 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
