Ben Affleck’s Batman replacement: who will play the superhero in the next movie?

Affleck has finally confirmed that he will no longer star in The Batman - but which stars could take on the role?
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The Weekender

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Ben Affleck is hanging up his cape for DC’s next standalone Batman film, The Batman.

The actor, who played Bruce Wayne in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017’s Justice League, confirmed that he has stepped down from the iconic role.

The 46-year-old retweeted a report from Deadline Hollywood, which stated that he was “pass[ing] the torch to the next generation of Bruce Wayne[s],” and wrote: “Excited for TheBatman in Summer 2021 and to see @MattReevesLA vision come to life.”

The star had initially signed up to direct, co-write and star in The Batman, but was replaced as director by Matt Reeves in 2017.

Who will be the next Batman: Ben Affleck his hung up his cape 

According to Deadline’s report, Reeves’ movie is slated for release on June 25, 2021, and its story will “focus on a younger Bruce Wayne.”

“Affleck worked hard on The Batman story, but knew he wasn’t the right one for this particular version,” the publication added, also revealing that “a search is underway for a new Dark Knight.”

Which Hollywood star could be boarding the Batmobile soon? Let's take a look at some of the top candidates.

Potential: Jake Gyllenhaal (Tara Ziemba/AFP/Getty Images)
TARA ZIEMBA/AFP/Getty Images

Rumours began to swirl that Gyllenhaal had been earmarked as Affleck’s replacement last year, and his upcoming turn as a villain in the new Spider-Man film, Far From Home, has probably given him plenty of superhero practice. He did, however, debunk the rumours in a 2018 interview – but that was before Affleck had confirmed his departure, and Gyllenhaal remains the bookies’ favourite.

Jon Hamm (4/1)

Rumoured: Jon Hamm
Getty Images

He became a household name as Mad Men's Don Draper, but Hamm's movie roles so far failed to make a similar impression - and a major superhero role could be the perfect way to change things around. However, if the reports are true and DC are looking to cast a younger Bruce Wayne, Hamm could be out of the running: at 47, he is in fact two years older than Affleck.

Time for a change: Armie Hammer could don the cape
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Who better to play an entitled Manhattan (sorry, Gotham) millionaire than Hammer, who’s made a career of doing just that since his Gossip Girl days (Call Me By Your Name makes an honourable exception)? With a handful of period adaptations lined up, a huge action film like The Batman could provide an interesting change of pace, too.

Riz Ahmed (8/1)

Contender: Riz Ahmed
Getty Images

Though he started out in indie productions, 36-year-old Ahmed has since moved into the major league with roles as a rebel fighter in Star Wars spin-off Rogue One and the villainous Riot in Tom Hardy’s recent superhero vehicle, Venom. Should he succeed, he’d also make history as the first actor of Asian descent to play Batman.

Jamie Dornan (8/1)

Star: Jamie Dornan
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for LA Confidential

​What better way to banish the spectre of Fifty Shades for good than by stepping into one of the biggest superhero franchises around? Plus, Dornan has plenty of on-the-job experience when it comes to playing an elusive, brooding millionaire

Batman: The Dark Knight - In pictures

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​Odds courtesy of Betfair.

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