When it comes to the deft art of performance capture, few Hollywood stars hold a candle to Andy Serkis. From the mercurial Gollum to Caesar, King Kong – and that’s Peter Jackson’s version, not Skull Island – to Supreme Leader Snoke (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), the English actor and director has garnered near-universal acclaim for his many roles in the mo-cap suit, and if a Tweet from Matt Reeves is any indication, Andy Serkis may be about to add another high-profile project to his impressive collection.
First spotted by Screen Rant, the War For the Planet of the Apes helmer was asked by one curious Twitter user whether Andy Serkis will have a role to play in The Batman, to which he replied:
Andy Serkis in ANYthing! He is the BEST! Regards back! https://t.co/Imt9oHh8wj
— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) May 16, 2017
Now, before we get too carried away, it’s important to stress that a throwaway Tweet from Matt Reeves –Â one that is arguably more of a compliment to Serkis and his many talents than anything else – is hardly concrete proof that Andy Serkis will appear opposite the Caped Crusader in the not-so-distant future.
Nevertheless, three months ago Warner Bros. appointed Matt Reeves at the helm of The Batman amid reports of creative turbulence behind the scenes – Ben Affleck vacated the director’s chair, leading many to believe the Justice League star was ready to walk out altogether – and it was later revealed that creative control was the deciding factor in welcoming Reeves on board. Perhaps the filmmaker already has a pool of talent in mind for The Batman then? If so, casting his War for the Planet of the Apes star will no doubt send DC fans into a tizzy, fueling rumors that Serkis may take point as The Riddler or a predominantly CGI character in the vein of Clayface. Let the speculation commence.
Whatever the case, The Batman is still gestating in the formative stages of development, and don’t expect that to change until War For the Planet of the Apes pits Caesar against The Colonel on July 14th.
