According to a new report from the Batman On Film site, word has leaked that Warners are looking for an actor in his 40s to star as The Dark Knight in SUPERMAN VS. BATMAN (aka SVB: MAN OF STEEL 2 or whatever they call it). By all accounts they want a Batman who is a “grizzled veteran who has been on the job for several years!” 

Current suggested favourites who have had their name mentioned as a possible Batman (although not necessarily by Warners) are Jon Hamm (who has previously worked with Snyder on SUCKER PUNCH), Josh Brolin and – semi-regular Snyder contributor – Gerard Butler.

I’ve stated before that I’d love to see Hamm as Batman (his chin in that cowl would make him look like a Neal Adams drawing), but must confess I am intrigued by the idea of Brolin in the role. I’m struggling to imagine Butler in the role though, not that I have anything against him, I just can’t see it. All I can picture with him in the cowl as a very shouty Batman!

While this is all rumour at the moment, it would get round the need to waste too much screen time setting up your new Batman, instead just presenting him as a new version of the character (and to be fair, if you don’t know who Batman is by now you’re probably David S. Goyer and Zack Snyder! – sorry). 

While the 13 year old comic book fan is screaming at me that this is everything I want to see in a film, the 34 year old writer who has been burned by the last 3 attempts at bringing DC characters to the big screen (GREEN LANTERN: not Green Lantern, DARK KNIGHT RISES: not Batman and MAN OF STEEL: not Superman), I just can’t get enthusiastic about this film at all, but would like to be proved wrong.

My main problem (Snyder & Goyer aside) is this apparent need to make it a “Versus” film rather than a WORLD’S FINEST film. Superman & Batman have a great relationship based on being forced to work together (see PUBLIC ENEMIES or the fan made WORLD’S FINEST trailer from a few years ago) rather than being forced to fight.

To add further fuel to the idea that these two characters will be fighting in the film is the rumour (reported in The Independent) that, based on the choice to use a passage from Frank Miller’s DARK KNIGHT RETURNS to announce the film, Snyder & Miller are planning to meet up to discuss the direction of the film.

As with all these projects, everything is just rumour and speculation at this point, but we will keep you posted as more develops on this production.

But what do you think? Should they go for an older Batman? Are you one of the people that are excited by the idea of Batman & Superman fighting each other on film for their first big screen team up? Will this be the best superhero movie ever? Do you think this is just a shameless attempt to try and grab some of that AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON cash? Let us know in the comments below.

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