7 Actors Who Could Replace Ben Affleck In The Batman

The signs are seriously depressing. Whether we want to admit it or not, there are behind-the-scenes issues on the production of The Batman. First, Ben Affleck departed as the director. Then, there were murmurs that the script was going to be rewritten. Now, it seems like he might be retiring his cape and cowl, too. Say it ain't so, Ben! Naturally, with big productions such as these, the pressure is insurmountable and there's a lot of drama in getting all the ducks in a row. The only reason it's splashed across the news so much is because it's the freakin' Batman. If Affleck does indeed depart the project though, it'll be a sad day for fans as he made an awesome Caped Crusader. However, it's not all doom and gloom, as we've lost Batmen before and come out okay (except for maybe George Clooney's turn). So, who'd be the next best person to become the Dark Knight? Here are 7 individuals who we feel could do a pretty good job in the role. 7) Thomas Jane The Punisher as Batman? You betcha. If you think about it, Thomas Jane received a pretty raw deal with 2004's The Punisher. While the film was far from universally praised, he put in a decent shift as Frank Castle and showed his mean streak and affinity for black - check out the trailer above and see for yourself. Despite his strongest efforts though, Jane never got the chance to reprise the role - bar the 2012 short film Dirty Laundry. He's a huge comic book fan though, even opening his own company to release the stories he’s written, so isn't he deserving of another chance to play a vigilante again? We certainly think so. 6) Josh Brolin This is a wild shot, especially since we sincerely doubt Marvel will let Josh Brolin anywhere near a DC property while he's still Thanos. But when it comes to incredible actors who are capable of portraying badasses, it's hard to look past Brolin. Heck, if it wasn't for him, Jonah Hex would've been completely unwatchable. He's got a toughness about him that most of us could only dream of, and his Batman would certainly complement Affleck's broody bruiser. That being said, this one's nothing more than a distant dream, since it's more likely that we'll see Justin Bieber playing Batman before Brolin at this point in time. 5) Armie Hammer Originally cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman in George Miller's abandoned Justice League: Mortal, Armie Hammer's name has been attached to every DC project since then. It makes sense, too, as he's got the stature and playboy good looks to match, so he wouldn't struggle pulling off the dual roles of Bruce Wayne and Batman. Also, at only 30 years of age, Hammer could play the Caped Crusader for years to come, which might be appealing to the execs if there's a soft reboot in the pipeline. What might harm Hammer, however, is that he doesn't quite have the star power or screen presence of Affleck; he’s more of The CW's Batman, if you get what we mean. He's had a few ups and downs in terms of his film successes, but his role in The Birth of a Nation might be enough to convince even his most staunch critic. Nonetheless, it's highly likely he'll appear as the Green Lantern soon; therefore, ending his chances of playing Batman. 4) Julian McMahon Forget about his performance as Dr. Doom in the Fantastic Four films for a second; Julian McMahon is a damn fine actor who doesn't get the credit that he deserves. At the age of 48, he's older than most of the other picks on the list (and Affleck as well), but hey, Robert Downey Jr. is 51 and still playing Iron Man. So, age is but a number, right? What might count against McMahon, though, is that he’s primarily known as a TV actor. As such, it's unlikely that Warner Bros. will entrust him to lead such a blockbuster and franchise with an unproven track record on the big screen. 3) Michael Fassbender With the X-Men film franchise currently up in the air, Michael Fassbender might be ripe for the picking here. Imagine him as the Dark Knight in a storyline such as "A Death in the Family" or "Under the Red Hood" - it'd be fantastic. Fassbender has an uncanny (ha!) ability to bring emotional intensity to every role he's in, and he'd be able to draw the audience into the lonely and dark aspect of Batman with ease. That said, the actor's been burned badly by the critical reception of X-Men: Apocalypse and Assassin's Creed, so he's probably on the lookout for more Oscar-worthy roles rather than another blockbuster vehicle. If he does show interest in the part, though, we wouldn’t hesitate to give him our stamp of approval. 2) Richard Armitage Richard Armitage has said he looks for a duality when portraying complex characters, and who's more complex than the famed orphan Bruce Wayne? The actor's already proven he's capable of handling a big franchise in The Hobbit trilogy and playing a demented-yet-vulnerable character in Hannibal, so his star in Hollywood is certainly on the rise. Throw in the fact that he was widely considered a frontrunner to play the Caped Crusader in Batman V Superman, and this could prove to be his destiny. He's got the acting chops and brooding presence to match, and we honestly wouldn't be all that surprised if the studio decides to come knocking. If nothing else, Armitage deserves a shot at the big leagues. This guy's been putting in great work for years now over a handful of enjoyable roles, and we'd love to finally see him be propelled onto the A-list with a high-profile job such at this. Make it happen, Warner Bros. 1) Jon Hamm Do yourself a favor: play the Arkham video game series and find any part where Bruce Wayne's dressed in a suit and tie. Who does he look like? The hair, the jaw line, the voice: it's Jon Hamm, ladies and gentleman. If Affleck does call it quits, Hamm might be the most logical replacement. He's only a year older than Big Ben - and at 6'2" he's no small man, either. Also, you cannot deny his undeniable chemistry with Gal Gadot in Keeping Up with the Joneses, setting up all sorts of potential Wonder Woman and Batman escapades. In terms of acting ability alone, Hamm's already shown he's capable of playing a broken, suave man in Mad Men and we've seen the extent of action repertoire in The Town. The question is, could he be the savior of The Batman? Abso-damn-lutely. Tell us, who would you like to see play the Caped Crusader if Ben departs the role? Sound off in the usual place with your thoughts!