Rumor has it that Jon Hamm is “gunning” for the role of Batman in the DC cinematic universe (DCEU). Given the persistent rumors that Ben Affleck would like to leave the role, it’s no surprise that other actors’ names have started circulating. According to an anonymous source who spoke to Radar Online (so, grain of salt), Draper is “gunning hard for the role” and has spent months “carefully courting” The Batman director Matt Reeves.
However, he’s not the only one who’s interested.
“Jake Gyllenhaal has also been chasing the role,” said the source, “and Matt has definitely been considering him. But Jon is closer to Ben’s age and look, and will be a smoother replacement to fit into the plans already in place.”
So what do we think, TMS readers? How would Jon Hamm do as the DCEU Batman?
Let us consider the evidence.
I think we can all agree that Hamm could easily pull off the Bruce Wayne element of the character. His most famous role, the casual misogynist and alcoholic Don Draper on Mad Men, often involved projecting a very Bruce Wayne air of suave, privileged, masculine confidence.
“Nothin’ to see here, folks! Just another rich kid running around Gotham!”
Of course, Batman isn’t all enormous wealth and privilege. He’s also a deeply traumatized and sad character (especially in recent DCEU interpretations), and Hamm certainly has the range to convey that.
(Okay, okay, for real this time.) He’s played a serious emotional mess of a man before, so he definitely has the skills for any darker or more character-driven approaches they want to take with Batman.
And some of Hamm’s most interesting work on Mad Men happened when his character, Don Draper, came up against women who outclassed or outsmarted him, a revelation which at once intrigued and deeply threatened the character. Hamm is one of the few Batman contenders where I thought I’d actually be interested to see his Batman’s interactions with Catwoman or Poison Ivy. (Screenplay pending, of course.)
But Hamm is also – and I’m not trying to be ageist here – relatively old. At 46 years old, he’d be a limiting choice for a role that could last, should the franchise succeed, for a solid decade. (Chris Evans, for example, first played Captain America back in 2011. Robert Downey Jr. has played Iron Man since 2008.) A lot of this decision might have less to with Hamm himself and more to do with where Warner Bros. sees the franchise heading.
What do you think, though? Would you like to see Hamm’s take on the character? Would you be more interested in a Gyllenhaal Batman? Or are you just too done with the DCEU to care?
(Via CBR; image via AMC)
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