Ben Affleck debuted as the DC Extended Universe version of the Caped Crusader in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice this year - and word is that next year, he will begin production on The Batman, a solo movie for the DCEU Batman that Affleck will also direct and co-write. Joe Manganiello is playing the assassin Deathstroke in Affleck’s Batman film and recently reaffirmed that production on the project looks to begin in the first half of 2017.

No other casting announcements for The Batman have been made as of yet, though there is a casting rumor that’s been making the rounds of late. That rumor concerns Armie Hammer (The Social Network, The Lone Ranger) - and it’s a rumor that the actor himself has been playing up, either for real or as a joke.

The rumor began swirling when The Batman co-writer Geoff Johns and Manganiello began following Hammer on Twitter. Now Hammer has posted a photo on Instagram showing himself alongside Manganiello, working on an unknown project. Manganiello retweeted the picture with the quote “Burning the midnight oil with my man @armiehammer #espresso” - which was then retweeted by Johns. While this doesn’t explicitly confirm that Hammer is onboard for The Batman, it’s unlikely that Johns and Manganiello would both openly taunt their fans and social media followers in such a trollish manner.

Men at work @sofiavergara #joesarmsmakemyheadlooksmall A photo posted by Armie Hammer (@armiehammer) on Dec 7, 2016 at 11:39pm PST

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Hammer deserves a shot to appear in a Batman movie. Back in the late 2000s, Warner Bros. attempted to kick-start a Justice League film directed by George Miller (Mad Max). The film had cast D.J. Cortana as Superman, Megan Gale as Wonder Woman, Common as Green Lantern/John Stewart, and Armie Hammer as Batman. The film was ultimately scrapped and Hammer lost out on his chance to dawn Batman’s iconic cape and cowl.

While Bruce Wayne/Batman is already cast, there are a plethora of roles available for Hammer to play. Hammer’s smooth-talking persona and dashing looks make him an ideal fit for Harvey Dent/ Two-Face. Even more intriguing is the possibility of Hammer playing a hero. We’ve yet to see a live-action Nightwing - and some fans have argued that Hammer could make for a great Hal Jordan/Green Lantern (another role that has yet to be officially cast in the DCEU).

For now, Hammer’s casting in the DCEU remains in the “unconfirmed” stage. Should he be officially brought onboard, his casting may be something far less glamorous; for example, as an Arkham Asylum doctor or a police officer in The Batman. Also, given the state of fandom, there is a chance that his casting in a specific role would prompt more of a backlash than a positive reception.

Source: Armie Hammer

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