Who should be the new Batman?
Ben Affleck is indecisive about carrying on as the Caped Crusader and Matt Reeves is taking meetings. Who should don the cape and cowl next?
Whenever I hear news about Ben Affleck and his role as Batman, I can’t help but remember back to that moment that inspired a classic gif. He and co-star/Superman, Henry Cavill, were sitting down for an interview to discuss the mixed reviews of Batman v Superman and Ben just looked flat out demoralized:
He looks like someone is telling him that his dog ran away from home on purpose. Or that his girlfriend is leaving him for Matt Damon. Or like me after I watched Gigli.
What I’m saying is that it didn’t look like Ben was in a good place with this movie’s performance. Over the past couple of months, Ben Affleck has been flirting with the idea of stepping down from the Batman role he so enthusiastically raved about at San Diego Comic Con. He’s had to answer so many questions about whether he’s committed to the franchise that it’s hard to believe he truly is.
So now it might be time to replace him.
I judge Batman’s on two key attributes:
- ) That they can play the role of Bruce Wayne (billionaire, playboy, brooding).
- ) That they can play the role of Batman (ass kicker, detective, brooding).
And that’s it. Just those 2 things will get you a thumbs up to play Batman and that’s why, in my opinion, Affleck is a perfect Batman. Christian Bale: decent Batman, not a believable Bruce Wayne. Michael Keaton: great Bruce Wayne, not the most formidable Batman. But Affleck toed the line perfectly. I’ll assess points in each category for new potential Batmans with how well they could take on the role with 10 being the highest score.
(For example: Affleck was a 5/5 believable Bruce Wayne and a 5/5 Batman for a 10/10 score.)
Matt Reeves, tapped to direct The Batman solo-feature, reportedly already has a replacement in mind in case Affleck decides to bow out. But Matt, you should play the field a little bit before settling down with a new Batman.
May contain spoilers.
Front-Runner
Jake Gyllenhaal, 36
Known for: Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain, Nocturnal Animals
Gyllenhaal is slightly younger at age 36 to Affleck’s 45, but there’s potential for a mantel passing or even a simple recast pretending nothing had changed. We’ve already seen this in a Batman movie:
Jake Gyllenhaal is the rumored target of Reeves’ desires. It’s being reported that the two had a meeting and this casting would make a lot of sense. Gyllenhaal is handsome enough to believe that women would be charmed by him and his performance in Southpaw was enough to make me believe that he can play the rugged, street brawler that they’re aiming for with this iteration of Batman. Gyllenhaal may come off as a little too nice, though, to be a womanizer so that effects his final score.
Bruce Wayne score: 3
Batman score: 5
Total: 8/10
Second-Tier Group
Joe Manganiello, 40
Known for: True Blood, Sabotage, Magic Mike
Manganiello is my first choice for everything. I️ own so much Joe Manganiello stock you’d think is was early 80’s Tom Cruise stock. He was already up for the role of Superman and is actually cast as the villain in The Batman, Deathstroke. The guy is already signed on for the movie, so why not just slot him into the top role? He’s already perpetually in good shape and has just enough gray hair dusting to believe that he’s an older generation Batman. Plus, he locked down Sofia Vergara, so you gotta believe he has some sort of magnetic, Bruce Wayne charm.
Bruce Wayne score: 4
Batman score: 5
Total: 9/10
(Editor’s Note: this piece was published before the release of ‘Justice League’ and therefore did not take into the Deathstroke post-credits scene.)
Luke Evans, 38
Known for: Beauty and the Beast, Fast and Furious 6, The Hobbit 2
Evans can play bad ass and with swagger. You might not know him off his name alone, but if you’ve seen Beauty in the Beast then you recognize Gaston. Evans would have to put on some extra weight in order to achieve the Batman look they’re going for, but I️ don’t doubt he could the way actors are able to train nowadays. Evans would be another one that’s a recast to slide right into the role, like Gyllenhaal.
Bruce Wayne score: 4
Batman score: 3
Total: 7/10
Idris Elba, 45
Known for: The Wire, Mandela, Thor
Idris Elba shows up on fan-casting wishlists for just about every popular male fiction character there is; whether that’s James Bond, Green Lantern, or Doctor Who. But there’s a reason for that and that reason is because Idris Elba is the best. He’s a talented, black actor who stands at a towering 6'3" (check one for an imposing Batman) and is in the conversation whenever People’s Sexiest Man Alive nominee takes a nose dive (check 2 for capable Bruce Wayne). Worth noting that Elba is tied to the Marvel Universe by playing Heimdall, but I believe he’s a leading man who’s a nominee for the Ike Barinholtz Under-Utilization Award in the Thor series.
Bruce Wayne score: 5
Batman score: 5
Total: 10/10
Capitalize Off Their Popularity Group
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, 47
Known for: Game of Thrones, The Other Woman, Gods of Egypt
Did anyone else enjoy The Other Woman? I’m raising my hand. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s entire role in the movie was to play a rich asshole that’s womanizing 3 women at the same time. Not only that, but this guy’s so charismatic that his Game of Thrones character started off as a jerk in an incestuous relationship with his sister and pushes children out windows, but somehow 7 seasons later, you’re rooting for the guy. I’ve talked myself into Nikolaj being the best Bruce Wayne yet and I’m giving him extra points for that.
The only thing that’s tough is picturing him as someone that kicks all the ass. I haven’t seen that in his repertoire just yet.
Bruce Wayne score: 6/5
Batman score: 2/5
Total: 8/10
Mahershala Ali, 43
Known for: Moonlight, House of Cards, Luke Cage
Mahershala Ali would join Affleck, Bale and George Clooney as Oscar-winners to play Batman. He would definitely have to add on size to play the role of the Bat, but he’s smooth enough to play the Bruce. I mean, Remy Danton definitely got it in on Capital Hill. Despite being an Oscar-winner, Ali isn’t one of those actors that doesn’t allow you to look past their stardom which can be distracting in a role like this. Like, when you’re watching a Leo movie or Brad Pitt movie, I feel like you’re very well aware that it’s Brad Pitt or Leonardo DiCarpio. Hindsight does the same thing for Clooney’s Batman, too.
Bruce Wayne score: 5
Batman score: 3
Total: 8/10
Consider These Long Shots Group
Daniel Kaluuya, 28
Known for: Get Out, Black Mirror, Kick-Ass 2
Already tied to the Marvel Universe via Black Panther, but Daniel Kaluuya has been skyrocketing up wish lists since his performance in the social thriller, Get Out. Not sure of any standout roles that put him in the Bruce Wayne/Batman lens, but he has hella range. Going to give him a middling score because of that, but the ceiling here is high.
Bruce Wayne score: 3
Batman score: 2
Total: 5/10
Miles Teller, 30
Known for: Whiplash, That Awkward Moment, War Dogs
This one is probably the least likely, but the stock in my portfolio that isn’t Joe Manganiello stock is most definitely Miles Teller stock. Teller is probably more my bet to play the wise-cracking playboy billionaire (sign him up as the next Iron Man), but I gotta include Teller as the potential Robin taking over the Bat mantel. And Bleed For This Miles Teller will destroy folks.
Bruce Wayne score: 3
Batman score: 3
Total: 6/10
Rick Yune, 46
Known for: The Fast and The Furious, Ninja Assassin, Olympus Has Fallen
Rick Yune is objectively good looking and can play tough. He’s, unfortunately, had to swallow a lot of stereotypical Asian roles, but what a refreshing turn would it be to get him as Batman. Yune also started his career as a model after being discovered working as a stock trader. Isn’t that on Bruce Wayne’s dating profile?
Bruce Wayne score: 5
Batman score: 3
Total: 8/10
If there’s a new Dark Knight, they’ll have large shoes to fill not just because Affleck is great in the role, but because of the gravitas that comes with the character. There have been so many iterations of Batman, that they’re always being compared and dissected. No matter who it may be, I still think Affleck isn’t the hero we deserve, but the one we need right now.
