By MICAH CHOQUETTE Scene Writer on Aug 6, 2013, at 12:30 PM Updated on 8/06 at 4:10 PM
The Dark Knight Trilogy is over, and a new Batman is needed for the upcoming Batman Vs. Superman movie. Who's the best bet for The Bat?
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Seventy-four. That's how many years the Dark Knight has been with us. As you might expect, a lot has changed. Thankfully, ...
I don't think there was anyone who wasn't excited about the
announcement of a Batman Vs. Superman movie. But the biggest question on everyone's mind now is:
"Who's going to play Bruce Wayne/Batman?" It's a question that stirs up the hornets nests of the fanboys and casual moviegoers alike, and rumors are abounding.
What we knowJudging from the way Warner Bros. announced the upcoming film, we're left to reasonably assume that the movie will be taking it's storyline from the extremely popular
The Dark Knight Returns mini-series by Frank Miller, about a Batman that comes out of retirement to take on rising crime, and ends up tussling with Big Blue himself: Superman.
If this is true, it would peg character as a more aged character, probably around 60.
The Hollywood Reporter has said however, that while the movie will follow the tone of the miniseries, the actual character will be more like late 30s or early 40s.
Nothing is set in stone yet, and director Zach Snyder is only beginning to look at casting. We believe he'll make some choices soon though, because they're looking to have this ready for a 2015 release, which means production will need to happen in 2014. Still, numerous sources are hinting at several characters on the shortlist, and a few that some of us would just like to see.
The contenders 
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the first one that many of us thought of, considering the role he played in
The Dark Knight Rises, whereas Bruce Wayne essentially gives him the keys to the Batcave. While he even looks the part (though perhaps a tad on the scrawny side, which could be rectified fairly easily), the fact is that he's probably just too young for this one. I don't think it'll happen.
Ryan Gosling is reportedly being considered as well, but again - he's a young guy, and doesn't fit the role we're seeing in our heads right now. I can certainly see him as a younger, charming Bruce Wayne, but Batman? I'm having a hard time with it.
Josh Brolin is apparently the unofficial leading choice for this character, and I'll admit that they guy can act and certainly pegs the age factor down pretty well. My only problem is that I just can't envision the guy in a cape and cowl. He just doesn't have Batman's
face, but that's only my opinion. Some say he's at the top of the list, while others claim the assumption is ludicrous because Warner Bros. is still getting the script ready.
Joe Manganiello is also reportedly being considered, and evidently was in the running for Superman himself when Snyder was filming Man of Steel. The story is that he had scheduling conflicts with
True Blood and didn't make the cut, and the role ultimately went to Henry Cavill. I remember him from his days as Flash Thompson in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies, and enjoyed watching him in
How I Met Your Mother, so my own experience doesn't connect with him being the kind of dark, brooding character that could pull off Batman, but hey - that's just me. It might be neat to see him try, though.
Richard Armitage is a surprise, but seems meet the qualifications pretty well. I personally like that he's not super well-known yet, and doesn't have a set idea in everyone's head about whether he could do the job. He also seems a little on the small side, so that'd be interesting to see, as well.
Jon Hamm, of
Mad Men fame, is a fan-favorite, and with good reason. He can be charming, chilling and even sinister, and he fits the face and age profile pretty well. I've never seen him in anything that resembles a fight scene though, so my only question is whether or not he could handle the League of Assassins training that's required.
My personal choice for the role is
Michael Fassbender, who was the overwhelming choice for fans in a few online polls, as well. He topped the list in the
DC Universe Dream Cast on imgur.com (go see the entire lineup of who would play every DC Character you can think of). He's also seen plenty of action in the last few years, as a younger Magneto in the last two X-Men movies, and roles in
Prometheus, Inglourious Basterds, and even
300 (there's his Frank Miller connection). He's 36 years old, which would put him at about the right age, as well. His upcoming roles in
The Counselor and
12 Years a Slave lean on his ability act, which rounds out his list of requirements in my mind.
What about you? Agree or disagree? Want to throw your own contender into the ring? Let us know in the comments.
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