The Batman finally has a release date (June 25, 2021) and with Ben Affleck officially out of the title role, Warner Bros. can be a lot more public about the search for a new Dark Knight. Variety‘s Justin Kroll is hearing that the studio “wants a familiar face.”
Director Matt Reeves also has a very narrow age range in mind for the title character. According to Kroll, two actors within seven years of age were ruled out when he mentioned them. One was too old and the other too young.
Kroll is also hearing that the movie could move faster than its release date may indicate. Compared to the lack of movement we’ve seen on The Batman in the two years since Reeves was hired, the last 36 hours have already felt like a whirlwind.
THE BATMAN: this sounds like it could move faster then people would expect with the date set. Hearing studio wants a familiar face and Reeves has his certain age in mind and that age is very specific like I said two names within 7 years of each other; "Too young, too Old'
— Justin Kroll (@krolljvar) February 1, 2019
Warner Bros. took its time setting a release date, so this should mean the project is now on solid footing. The studio and Reeves are ready to start putting all of the pre-production pieces together, including casting.
It would have been awkward to conduct a search for a new Batman in earnest until the worst kept secret in Hollywood was finally made official. Actors with enough experience (and options) to qualify as a familiar face could have declined opportunities to take meetings for fear of stepping on Affleck’s toes.
That’s not an issue anymore. We are mere months away, perhaps only weeks, from learning the identity of the next Batman.
