It seems that someone has unleashed the insane rumors of Arkham Asylum even earlier than we anticipated. As always, that question mark in the headline means that we’re dealing with nothing more than a juicy, unsubstantiated rumor that could have been produced in a bath tub full of meth for all we know, but when someone starts spouting off about the male actors being mentioned for the role of Batman in the Man of Steel sequel, we simply can’t ignore it, no matter how little sense it makes.
What started out as a fun, meaningless poll by the Los Angeles Times last week has turned into full-blown speculation by a number of media outlets, including the Hollywood Reporter, about which leading man will replace Christian Bale as the next Dark Knight. The rumor du jour is that the newest version of Bruce Wayne will be “in the late 30s or around the 40 mark,” and that somehow qualifies Ryan Gosling for the role.
First, some words of caution. The script is still being written, so nothing has been submitted formally to reps and actors. Two, according to sources, director Zack Snyder is only just beginning to look at actors. (Via THR)
“Hey y’all, before we get into this, just know that none of this means anything. K thanks.”
But the real insight is the kind of Bruce Wayne/Batman that Snyder is looking to cast. According to numerous sources, this Wayne/Batman will be in the late 30s or around the 40 mark. He will be established and rugged. This new movie will not seek to recount an origin story or the rise of the Dark Knight. Christian Bale, The Dark Knight trilogy Batman, has said he won’t return for another film.
Sources say the new movie is aiming for the tone of the relationship and fight seen in Frank Miller’s 1980s ground-breaking mini-series The Dark Knight Returns (How important is that work? Important enough that the cover to issue No. 2 sold Friday at a Heritage Auction for $478,000.)
THR goes on to list Gosling, Josh Brolin, Joe Manganiello, Richard Armitage, Max Martini and Matthew Goode as the “top names surfacing at this stage,” and I love this game, so I want to add some of my own:
Abe Vigoda
French Stewart
Anthony Weiner
Johnny Manziel
Cher
Radioman
Willow Smith
And my sources indicate that the leading contender to play Batman right now is this English bulldog:
