Who will be the next Batman? Top 5 actors

The Superman/Batman movie is finally happening. From the details we already know, Zack Snyder will be directing, Henry Cavill will be playing Superman and there is a roundabout release date for Summer 2015. The enigma that still surounds the project is – who will be the next Batman? After The Dark Knight Rises, Christian Bale said he will retire from playing the masked character leaving one of the most relevant, profitable and coveted roles in Hollywood up for grabs.

So which actor has the skill and look to inhabit the mind of the Batman? We look at the pros and cons the top 5 actors we think are in the running…
5. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
(Spoiler) The ending of The Dark Knight Rises sets up Gordon-Levitt to take over the the role of either Robin or Batman (there is endless debates about this). No one knows for sure, but if he is chosen to play Batman I’d be disappointed.

Pros: He is a fantastic actor that has earned the respect of producers and directors, plus, the oh-so demanding fanboy audience. Gordon-Levitt is already in The Dark Knight universe and is Nolan approved – that goes a loooong way!
Cons: He does not look like the Batman from the comics nor the movies. Physically he is too narrow shoulder and too thin to be intimidating. He is a better Robin.

Nevertheless, he is at least in the Batman film universe and I could get used to him. The next four would be much better selections though.

4. Armie Hammer
Hammer DEFINITELY has the looks and the build to play Batman. Actually, he was cast as the caped crusader in George Miller’s Justice League Of America until the 2007 writers strike killed all that talk. Could talks with him be reignited?

Pros: Physically, Hammer looks like an action hero, he has a deep voice which brings credibility to voicing the Batman rasp and you know he can do that pretty-boy rich spoiled brat better than anyone as Bruce Wayne (seen him in The Social Network?)
Cons: After being a part of 3 consecutive flops in the soporific J. Edgar, the awful Mirror Mirror and the catastrophic The Lone Ranger, Hammer’s stock is in the gutter.

But because Hammer would be a co-star to Superman and not the lead, the pressure of carrying a film of this nature might work to his advantage. He’d also come at a cheap price.

3. Ryan Gosling
Wouldn’t the ladies love to see this dude put on a tux and put a beating on thugs. If word came out that Gosling is the new Batman, it would make global headlines.

Pros: Gosling is a lady magnet like no other actor in Hollywood right now. His unveiling of a playboy with a jacked body in Crazy Stupid Love converted him into a star. His performance in Drive also gave us brood, which is exactly what Batman’s main trait is. We know he can act, has the physical attributes and can pull off Bruce Wayne and Batman in his sleep. So what’s the problem?
Cons: I personally am not a fan of his voice. Can he sound like Batman without laughing? Could we get used to it? Maybe I’m nitpicking and it’s not a big deal. Apart from that, his movies have been well acclaimed as of late (except for maybe Gangster Squad, but that wasn’t his fault). What we also must take into account is that Gosling still hasn’t proven he can lead or co-lead a giant, successful blockbuster film of this category. He is still stuck in the indie world with very little achievements in commercial films. He might be a risk.

Even so, if Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth can handle it, no reason why Gosling couldn’t. He’d blow them out of the water.

2. Andrew Lincoln
The guy no one is talking about might just sneak up and take the job.

Pros: He’s British, has a hit TV show and he has the jawline. But seriously, Lincoln is unquestionably the most skilled actor, I should say thespian, on this list.  He’s British, so you know he can act. I mean, he was educated at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London for god’s sake! Not to be ignored is his star role in one of the highest rated and acclaimed shows on US television – The Walking Dead. It’s made him into a bonafide star and this is great news for WB since it has an inherit fanboy base. Lincoln is fanboy approved!
Cons: He has mostly been a TV actor with only modest success. His films resume can’t be applauded except for the globally loved movie Love Actually. Judging from his oeuvre, he doesn’t seem to want to be a part of a billion dollar franchise.

 1. Ben Affleck
He’d be perfect! Just look at him. He is Bruce Wayne and Batman. The man who just won Best Picture for Argo at the Oscars and swept almost every director award in Hollywood is also an actor that when given a good role, can shine (i.e: Good Will Hunting, Boiler Room). Affleck is so the perfect Batman, that he has already been asked to play the masked hero before, and of course, to direct it too. He said no. But why?

Pros: Affleck can pull this off like nobody’s business. He already has a history playing superheroes in Daredevil, and before you bash him on that decision, he played Superman in Hollywoodland. No knocking him there, huh? He also is the perfect age to play The Dark Knight; he’s not too young nor too old. He’s the prime age. With his A-list looks, superhero experience, blockbuster resume and Hollywood status, who wouldn’t want to see him as Batman in 2015?
Cons: He said no to this gig before for a reason. Perhaps he saw what it did to Clooney and Kilmer and wants nothing to do with it. Could be that the Daredevil experience traumatized him since people are still making fun of him for that. Could also be he’s a Best Picture winning director and must have jobs to direct a plethora of upcoming films.

Who will land the coveted Batman role? These 5 can do the job, but is there anyone else you think that can be a better Batman?

Join the conversation and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.