The Batman To Feature A Young Caped Crusader?

There’s not a day goes by without some form of DC rumor finding its way online.

Just yesterday, for instance, we learned that Warner Bros. had screened footage from Aquaman during its CineEurope presentation (spoilers: it’s said to be glorious), while Monday was all about Dwayne Johnson’s involvement in Suicide Squad 2 – or lack thereof.

And now? We circle back to The Batman as The Hollywood Reporter (h/t Heroic Hollywood) brings word that Matt Reeves plans to introduce a young Caped Crusader – presumably at the expense of Ben Affleck, who is now expected to make way for a “standalone franchise” starring a new, as-yet-unconfirmed Bruce Wayne.

Per THR:

The big question mark going forward is the future of Batman. Writer-director Matt Reeves turned in the first act of a new screenplay during the Memorial Day weekend. It’s said to focus on a young caped crusader, and while the studio would not comment, it’s unlikely that Ben Affleck, who has played Batman in three features, will again don the cowl.

What a difference a year makes, eh? Prior to the launch of Justice League, it looked certain that Ben Affleck was ready to double down on his commitment to the DC Extended Universe, appearing in The Batman, Suicide Squad 2 (?) and Warner’s long-in-development Flashpoint.

But ever since Walter Hamada came on board as president of DC Entertainment, he’s slowly tried to steady the ship. As one unnamed source told THR: “Hamada walked into a shitshow, and he’s trying to clean it up.”

The first port of call will be launching Aquaman this December, before the spotlight shifts over to Shazam! and Wonder Woman 1984. That places The Batman on course for a release in 2020, and providing THR’s report is on point, we imagine Matt Reeves is already casting the net in search of his Bruce Wayne.