Batman/Bruce Wayne Casting Thread - Part 1

[FatRobin]

Jon Hamm is a good actor and all but believe me when I tell you that his face looks like my head down south of my anatomy. Only difference is that he has eyeballs and it creeps me out. I wouldn't want a Batman that reminds me of that everytime I see him on screen. I'm totally against his casting for anything cuz of this.

Wait what?

 

[LaughterLives]

haha! I know how it sounds but its true.

 

[shauner111]

Lmfao, I have no idea how that relates to Hamm but that's hilarious!

 

[Tg11]

Another run of actors who could play Batman better than Affleck:

- Clive Owen
- Jon Hamm
- Colin Farrell
- Luke Evans
- Gerard Butler
- Matt Damon (Ben Affleck's BFF could you imagine Damon stepping into the role?)
- Christian Bale (but would DC really bring him back without Nolan? I doubt it)
- Michael Fassbender
- Hugh Jackman
- Matt Bomer

Out of this list I would go with Bomer, Fassbender, Damon, Evans, Farrell and Hamm but out of those guys then I would choose Jon Hamm

 

[shauner111]

Good names on that list but I almost spit out my drink with Gerard Butler (worst American accent ever) and Matt Damon. I would refuse to watch the movies if they were cast. We can pick on Affleck, but let's not get carried away.

 

[Tg11]

Which is why I went with other actors too on the list...Bomer he would be an ideal Batman too I mean he has the height the pretty boy looks he can play eccentric playboy type no problem and he can probably play the darker side of Bruce Wayne too that of course being the tortured soul that is Batman

Same with Hamm too

 

[LaughterLives]

Damon would be worst than Affleck in my eyes. There's nothing about Damon that would make him a decent Batman. He can't sell me on the idea that he's tough at all. He looks like a total Dork.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Yeah. If only he had an acclaimed and influential trilogy of action films where he portrays an iconic tough guy or something.

 

[Tg11]

Yeah. If only he had an acclaimed and influential trilogy of action films where he portrays an iconic tough guy or something.

Well Damon did play Jason Bourne after all so playing Batman wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility either and not to mention do you see how ripped Matt Damon is especially for an actor his age

Not to mention he is an Academy Award winner too

 

[shauner111]

Damon is never likeable. He's the perfect a-hole. He also looks down on the role and thinks Batman would be so easy to play, which means he would put no effort into it once he's in the cowl. Which I feel is Ben's problem too. He would have made a good Lex Luthor.

 

[Tg11]

Yeah you're right I actually could have seen Damon or Affleck even as Luthor...especially because well Eisenberg sucks as Lex but then again Oscar Isaac he could be a unique casting for Bruce

 

[LaughterLives]

Yeah. If only he had an acclaimed and influential trilogy of action films where he portrays an iconic tough guy or something.

hahaha! You can tell he's "trying" to "act" tough. He doesn't do it convincingly or naturally. I don't care how influential those films may be. He was wrong the person to play the part. His goofy face really sells how confused he is in the role, doh. I'll give you that.

I mean Keaton did less with his Batman and he appeared a million times more tougher. Keaton sold this with his Presence. Damon doesn't have this at all.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Nothing in those Bourne movies felt try hard to me. I thought Matthew really sold Bourne.

 

[LaughterLives]

and that's ok. I just don't feel the same way at all.

 

[EyesOnly]

Another run of actors who could play Batman better than Affleck:

- Clive Owen
- Jon Hamm
- Colin Farrell
- Luke Evans
- Gerard Butler
- Matt Damon (Ben Affleck's BFF could you imagine Damon stepping into the role?)
- Christian Bale (but would DC really bring him back without Nolan? I doubt it)
- Michael Fassbender
- Hugh Jackman
- Matt Bomer

Out of this list I would go with Bomer, Fassbender, Damon, Evans, Farrell and Hamm but out of those guys then I would choose Jon Hamm

I would like to add Shirley MacLaine to this list.

 

[Sawyer]

Anything shorter than the Bale ears, looks ridiculous to me. The longer ears makes Batman look more demonic to me and thats what I want. The short ears make me laugh.

I hated the Miller design from the beginning. It just looks like expensive Cosplay. I think its awful for live action.

I'd accept a Neal Adams length

I just don't want that Kelley Jones/Tim Sale s***.

 

[shauner111]

hahaha! You can tell he's "trying" to "act" tough. He doesn't do it convincingly or naturally. I don't care how influential those films may be. He was wrong the person to play the part. His goofy face really sells how confused he is in the role, doh. I'll give you that.

I mean Keaton did less with his Batman and he appeared a million times more tougher. Keaton sold this with his Presence. Damon does have this at all.

Totally agree. Damon was cast in that role because he was a hot name at the time.

 

[007]

Afflecks one of the best batman's of all time, probably only behind keaton.

Only got short changed by bad scripts.

 

[Wheels]

Gerard Butler is mediocre. Why don't you suggest Sam Worthington while you're at it?

 

[shauner111]

Afflecks one of the best batman's of all time, probably only behind keaton.

Only got short changed by bad scripts.

One of the worst.

 

[Wheels]

I like Keaton and as Affleck as The Batman but I'm always impatient when they're out of the suit.

 

[shauner111]

For me Keaton is so entertaining that i didn't mind him out of the suit, even if it wasn't exactly Bruce to me.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

Hey guys! It doesn’t matter that Gyllenhall is shorter than Affleck, or not as physically large as Affleck. It matters that he’s a better actor than Affleck.

The concern for looks and not for characterisation is one of the reasons Affleck’s Batman fails. I don’t care if the suit doesn’t look ‘ripped from the page’. I could care less if Bruce Wayne’s chin isn’t comic accurate. I don’t give a damn if he’s not 6 foot 4. I care that the character is realised well, and that the storyline he’s part of is high quality.

Character and story. Character and story.

Gyllenhall is a great pick, if those are your concerns... and they really should be.

Batman originated in the pages of a comic book, so it's perfectly natural for people to have preferences as to how he should look in live-action. Consider this. If Daniel Radcliffe (a fine actor in his own right) was being considered to replace Affleck, you might not be keen on that coming to fruition on account of his obvious ahem shortcomings. This indicates that while you may not have an ideal physical type for the role in question, you do at the very least have some vague idea floating around in your head. You want a convincing Batman, right? Maybe 5'7" is where you'd draw the line. Well, for others, anywhere from another 3 to 6 inches would be more appropriate; and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Sure, most of us I imagine would be thrilled to see the best possible actor get the part. No one's disputing that; but there's also such a thing as having the best of both worlds. And I like to think that's what we got in Affleck's Batman. Difficult as it may be for you to fathom, there are quite a few people (e.g., Daniel Alter, Mark Hughes, Vincent D'Onofrio, Kevin Conroy) who share the opinion that he gave more than a serviceable performance. That he also bears a strong resemblance to certain depictions of the character is just a plus.

Anyhow, as stated above, I personally don't have a problem with Gyllenhaal's height. He just wouldn't be my first choice to succeed Affleck. Based upon talent alone, someone like Michael Fassbender would be a much better fit. Again, though, as both skill and physical appearance matter to me, my top choices at the moment would be Wes Bentley (who's also 5' 11") and the unlikely Richard Armitage.

Here's hoping that WB gets their act together before all the most suitable actors die of old age.

 

[Wheels]

I don't see it when people say Affleck is the best film Batman but I also don't see him as the worst either. I thought he was actually good, and would have been fine with him coming back. He would have had a different director's vision guiding him so it could have improved his version of Batman in my eyes.

 

[Boom]

I do have to wonder how much of the love for Affleck has to do with his physical approximation to the comic books, both in and out of the suit.

In terms of characterization though, I truthfully don't get it. He was bloodthirsty in BvS and borderline incompetent in JL - neither of which meets my criteria for a "definitive" Batman.

Take away the superficial physical stuff and he's largely been a non-factor in the role.