Jon Hamm to Replace Ben Affleck in The Batman?

For a while, it’s looked likeJustice Leaguecould be Ben Affleck’s final turn as Batman in the current DC movie universe, which means another actor is going to have to replace him at some point forThe Batman. Now, a new report claims that formerMad Menstar Jon Hamm is gunning hard for the role. He and Affleck have been good friends ever since working together onThe Townin 2010, but this new report claims Hamm is willing to do what it takes to get the role inMatt Reeves' The Batmanand that this “is business.” Here’s what an unnamed source had to say about the situation.

“Jon’s gunning hard for the role…They enjoyed working together and have been on good terms ever since. But Jon knowsBen has faced some criticism over Batman v Superman and Justice League, and frankly thinks he’d be better suited for the job. This is business for Jon, not personal.”

Jon Hamm is 46-years-old currently and Ben Affleck is 45, so they’re pretty much the exact same age. That meansThe Batman, should Hamm ultimately get the gig, would still feature an older, grizzled, seasoned version of theCaped Crusader. Said the source, “Of course, Ben’s not officially out of the role yet. but the writing’s on the wall, and Jon’s desperate for the gig, friend or not.” Matt Reeves, who’s been tapped to directThe Batmanfor Warner Bros., has reportedly been looking at other actors to replace Affleck.Jake Gyllenhaal was recently said to be in contentionand this report also notes that he’s “chasing” the role.

“Matt thinks Jon is charming and was a big fan ofMad Men, so it seems like a great transition to him. Jake Gyllenhaal has also been chasing the role, 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.”

Originally, Ben Affleck was going to write, direct, co-write and star inThe Batman. However, he eventually decided to walk away from directing the first solo outing for the Dark Knight as part of theDCEUand Matt Reeves, coming off ofWar for the Planet of the Apes, was brought on board. Affleck’s script was thrown out and, at this point, it’s totally unclear what direction Reeves is taking the movie. Either way, this would be a huge get for any actor and that’s why Jon Hamm wants the role so badly and has been “carefully courting” Reeves.

“Things have been going great for Jon since Mad Men wrapped. An iconic part like this would take his career to the next level. He doesn’t care whose toes he has to tread on to get there.”

Indeed, Jon Hamm has enjoyed success afterMad Men. Most recently, in Edgar Wright’sBaby Driver. But getting to play one of the biggest superheroes on the planet for one of the best directors working in Hollywood currently is on another level entirely. So, even though this new info fromRadar Onlineshould be regarded as rumor for now, it’s not hard to imagine Hamm wants to beThe Batman.