Who Would YOU Pick For Batman?

Suggestions?

How about Nathan Fillion?

I'm Kidding! Seriously though, I'm at a loss to think of anyone right now except the names that have already been mentioned. I'll really have to brainstorm about this. One rule of thumb though. Superman is often portrayed by a relative unknown like Christopher Reeve was at the time. Batman OTOH is sometimes played by a more established actor like Michael Keaton. So if this 'formula' holds true to tradition then we may need to look at some established, or somewhat established actors. But then age becomes a factor too. The more well known actors are probably pushing 40 too so what do you do? And the lesser known actors probably wouldn't even come into mind.

I've heard that Joe Manganiello is not only interested but has said so in public. It feels cheap to be his cheerleader for Superman one year and when he misses that, switch over and be a cheerleader for him for Batman. But I think he'd do well with the role and he seems like the type of actor Snyder might cast.

A lot of metrosexual types like Ryan Gosling and Jake Gyllenhaal have been bandied about too but I have trouble seeing it. But I wonder what Jared Padalecki is up to these days. Hmm...

thecolorsblend wrote:I've heard that Joe Manganiello is not only interested but has said so in public. It feels cheap to be his cheerleader for Superman one year and when he misses that, switch over and be a cheerleader for him for Batman. But I think he'd do well with the role and he seems like the type of actor Snyder might cast.

A lot of metrosexual types like Ryan Gosling and Jake Gyllenhaal have been bandied about too but I have trouble seeing it. But I wonder what Jared Padalecki is up to these days. Hmm...

 Or how about Jensen Ackles? Or is he too short? Both are great actors either way. I hadn't really thought about that. Maybe we need to start looking at TV actors more closely? Speaking of which, I know this sounds like beating a dead horse but what about Tom Welling? Seriously, not joking. It'd be a hoot in a way for him to switch to Batman & he's not too old. But I know what you're going to say. Duh apologists would never let us live it down. But it would also be up to Welling if anyone considered him, himself included. And screw duh apologists.

non_amos wrote:Or how about Jensen Ackles? Or is he too short?

Hey, why not? I've wanted the guy to move on to bigger and better things for a while now anyway. Like many actors, he's got chops he doesn't get credit for, he's supposed to be a pretty big dude, he's got that sandy-blonde look going which would contrast nicely against Cavill's look, and probably other stuff I'm overlooking. I'd at least give the dude a screen test.

Besides, it'd continue the Smallville legacy that MOS set up.

non_amos wrote:Maybe we need to start looking at TV actors more closely? Speaking of which, I know this sounds like beating a dead horse but what about Tom Welling? Seriously, not joking. It'd be a hoot in a way for him to switch to Batman & he's not too old. But I know what you're going to say. Duh apologists would never let us live it down. But it would also be up to Welling if anyone considered him, himself included. And screw duh apologists.

Heh, I think it would be different from casting Welling as Bizarro. Casting him as Batman would if anything endorse his skills, size, all that stuff. Still... look, if Welling is the best guy they can find, God bless, but I can't help but think there's someone better suited for the part than he is. Maybe I've got my Superman goggles on and can't see Welling as some other hero but there it is.

Would Apologists like it? No, but more from the angle that Blandon is once again being marginalized. They'd probably resent Welling's deeper entrenchment with the DCU but they probably wouldn't make fun (how the hell could they?). Part of me would want to cast Welling as Batman just to piss off the Apologists. But any movie should aim higher than getting a rise out of .00005% of the US population. Bigger fish to fry. On a strictly pragmatic level, Ackles should be considered ahead of Welling.

Still, I must emphasize that I really dig Welling and his style. Is he the greatest actor in the world? No (although he's better than he gets credit for) but he's one hell of a leading man. I've been rewatching Smallville with my girlfriend for the past two'ish years and one thing that season 8 starts demonstrating is that whatever Welling may lack as a thespian and master performer, the guy oozes Cool as a leading man type. Leading men aren't always great actors and vice versa. Welling is a good actor but a GREAT leading man. Dude has a lot of charm and charisma. So my tendency to want to skip him is no reflection on his talents.

In part it's just an effort to throw some names out there since I'm basically at a loss to figure this thing out at the moment. The studio probably won't go with who we want anyway. But that ain't always a bad thing. For example, I came home one Sunday afternoon I believe it was February 2011. I got online. I clicked on this link that announced that Henry Cavill had been cast as Superman. Honestly, I thought it was a joke but it wasn't April 1. So I dug into it & it was true. And of course I remembered his name from times past but I didn't really know anything about him back then so I didn't take him seriously. And now look where we are! Couldn't have been more wrong about that.

And who knows if that ain't where we're at with Batman? They pull some name out of left field but turns out it works. That's where I could see Ackles working in such a situation. But I'm sure there's names I haven't even thought of too. Do you know of any 'aborted' names for 'Batman past' that we may need to look at like with Cavill?

Only two: Colin Ferrell (the oh-riginal, unproduced Batman vs. Superman although nothing was official) and Armie Hammer (the oh-riginal, unproduced Justice League of America; he made it as far as final costume fittings).

Now me, I'd rule out Colin Ferrell because he's Colin Ferrell and also I'd rule out Armie Hammer because, dammit, I wanted him for Superman; some wounds just go too deep, I guess. Besides, I don't want Batman to tower above Superman as Hammer would (motherfucker's a giant, look it up sometime, big son of a bitch).

The thing is, like has been said before, it's like Hammer is destined for comics film greatness. Ain't he the dude that used to play on the now defunct WB show Reaper? I haven't googled him I know but anyway. I just hope that The Lone Ranger doesn't hurt his resume or his chances. I tell you the truth, it's like Johnny Depp is really starting to make some bombs! Last year it was Dark Shadows although it did make a decent amount in foreign sales & I think the DVD/Blu-Ray did fairly well but domestic box office? Bombed! And I'm a big Dark Shadows fan, the original that is. But as I understand it (without researching it), Depp bought the Dark Shadows properties from the estate of Dan Curtis who was the creator of the series. How true that is I don't know because I just went to Wikipedia & it said the rights remained with the family but it also said they were to make a film so obviously that article is now outdated. I hope Depp didn't buy the rights because if he did then he probably sunk any chances of future DS films between him & Tim Burton. That was their Singerman! A reboot is in order! But I hope Hammer can survive Depp's latest fiasco. He deserves it & should be in some superhero property. I'm fine with DC or Marvel.

My guess is Hammer is hard to cast in a lot of roles because of his size. The Lone Ranger (on paper anyway) was a good choice for him because it plays to his size but otherwise it's probably hard to put him into a movie. As you say, I hope this doesn't affect his future prospects. By all accounts, TLR has 99 problems but none of them are Hammer.