New Batman Rumor Claims Jon Hamm Is 'Gunning Hard' to Replace Ben Affleck
Rumor has it, "Mad Men" star wants to be Batman.
Should we believe it? It's not hard to imagine many actors want to play The Caped Crusader, even with the DCEU in its difficult situation. But this new rumor comes from RadarOnline, which -- as Birth.Movies.Death put it, is "cousin to National Enquirer and home to such exclusives as Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck's Big Surprise: A Baby! - Find out the shocking reason why the couple may call off their divorce and Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner Visit The Farmer's Market."
So take this with several grains of salt.
That said, a "source" told RadarOnline.com that "Jon's gunning hard for the role" of Batman. Ben Affleck is still officially in the role, but looking for a graceful way out. Hamm and Affleck worked together in "The Town," which Affleck directed. This source said they enjoyed working together and have been good friends since, but this would be a business/career move for Hamm. Nothing personal.
"Of course, Ben's not officially out of the role yet, but the writing's on the wall, and Jon's desperate for the gig — friend or not."
This source added that Hamm is "ready to fly in and has been 'carefully courting'" "The Batman" director Matt Reeves for months. The source claims Reeves was a big fan of "Mad Men" and finds Hamm charming. But what about the rumors that Jake Gyllenhaal is also being considered for Batman? The source had a comment on that, too:
"Jake Gyllenhaal has also been chasing the role, and Matt has definitely been considering him. But Jon is closer to Ben's age and look, and will be a smoother replacement to fit into the plans already in place."
Here's Radar's toes-treading quote:
"An iconic part like this would take [Hamm's] career to the next level. He doesn't care whose toes he has to tread on to get there."
It's not even clear how it would be stepping on Ben Affleck's, or anyone else's, toes when Affleck is already at least one foot out the door. But all of this is coming from some unnamed source. We don't know what's really happening on the Batman front ... although Variety did just add this note in its new DC restructuring report:
"While Ben Affleck is expected to appear as Batman in a standalone Flash movie, it is highly unlikely he will don the cape and cowl in Matt Reeves' planned standalone Batman movie. The director is said to want to cast the role with fresh talent, according to sources."
Jon Hamm certainly knows how to play an intense, angry, cold, power-hungry guy with mommy and daddy issues who lives a double life with two identities. Don Draper/Dick Whitman, meet Bruce Wayne. But Gyllenhaal would be a major get in the role. And Reeves may be looking at several other "fresh" faces on the Batman front. One guy we can probably cross off the list is Christian Bale, despite that other juicy rumor.
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