I think WB/DC struck gold with Cavill as Superman, and this is because, not only does he look the part, but a) he has a passion and respect for the character, and b) he wasn’t a household name before Man of Steel. Fans and critics alike seem to be split down the middle when it comes to the overall quality of MOS, but for many Cavill is NOT the problem. In fact, most reviews I have seen praise Cavill’s performance. Granted, his Superman was virtually reduced to punching and grunting, and the script didn’t allow him much room for any of the humor or light-heartedness often associated with the character, but his physique and overall performance with what he was given has garnered praise.
Now, Batman is the crown-jewel of the DC cinematic universe. I remember when I was a kid and found myself disgusted at the news that Superman was America’s favorite hero, however in recent years, with the success with Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, Supes has been dethroned and the Caped Crusader now reigns supreme. Given the aforementioned success, the world now waits for the inevitable reboot of its favorite anti-hero and trembles…
The idea of a live-action Justice League film is being met with mixed reactions throughout the public. Some think it is a simple cash grab, based on the success of The Avengers, and it very well might be. But, even so, Warner Bros. HAS to get it right, otherwise the heroes they are hoping to launch with this film will have one hell of a time getting off the ground.
Man of Steel is allegedly the start of the DC Cinematic Universe (DCCU), which means that should the film fail, this universe will be built upon a shaky foundation. Now, where Man of Steel may be the foundation of the Justice League, Batman will be the mortar that holds the Watch Tower together. Batman is arguably the most profitable comic book character to ever grace the silver screen; he is riding high, coming off of one of the highest grossing and critically-acclaimed trilogies of all time, and to follow up that success with something completely new could very well be the most daunting task of the film. If Batman is unsuccessful, how can we be expected to take this team seriously?
Allow me to explain. The public was reintroduced to this character in 2005 and had grown to love him until his quest was complete on July 20th of 2012. They know him. They like him. People don’t like change. Unless this change is good. If WB isn't COMPLETELY stupid, the Batman reboot will possess the same dark tone as Christopher Nolan's trilogy. This Batman was dark, and the public has shown that they obviously liked him that way. We can acknowledge that the Nolan trilogy is over, but this Batman will always hold a special place in our hearts, throat cancer and all. Now, I HATE recasts. I hated that Katie Holmes didn’t come back, even though she said she would after filming had wrapped on Begins. I hated that Rhodey looked different in Iron Man 2. I HATE recasts. And a new Batman is quite possibly one of the most dangerous recasts of all: like an imposter trying to nuzzle its way into our hearts. If people do not like this new Batman, then his post Justice League films will fail and WB will have to start ALL over again!
Enter...
I am 88% set with Armie Hammer as Bruce in the DC Cinematic Universe. The other 12% goes to Joe Manganiello (True Blood, Magic Mike) with 11.5% and Owain Yeoman (my original pick for Supes before Cavill was cast) with .5%. But the mass majority of my support goes to Hammer, which leads me to the main idea of this article:
1) HISTORY
Like Cavill with Superman (Abrams/McG's Superman Flyby), Hammer has been snubbed before when it comes to the character of Batman (in the form of 2009's cancelled Justice League Mortal), and didn't get the chance to see it through. Like Cavill, give him a chance to do so. Also, with news that Cavill is set to replace Tom Cruise in WB’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and join the cast alongside Hammer himself, we will get to witness how Superman and this Batman-hopeful act with each other. Here’s hoping for insane chemistry…!
2) ABILITY
He is still relatively unknown, with his biggest role being The Lone Ranger. He has also tried his hand at drama with the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network (for which he was nominated for the Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor) and as Leo Dicaprio’s gay lover in J. Edgar. Mirror Mirror wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be (still pretty bad), but it showed that Hammer can do silly and family friendly. It's called "range".
The Lone Ranger is basically Batman in the Wild West. While the film itself isn’t that good, Hammer did the best with what he was given, under the direction that he was given. His portrayal of the titular hero, and the resulting onslaught of hate towards him can just as well be blamed on the director and the writers. Hammer is incredibly charming and charismatic in person (just watch interviews or one of his numerous talk show appearances), making the mask of Bruce Wayne undoubtedly a breeze for him, but his ability to play dark and conflicted admittedly has yet to be seen. However, through J. Edgar and The Social Network, he has displayed his capacity for dramatic roles, and I think he could surprise us.
3) KNOWLEDGE
Simply put, because of Justice League Mortal, Hammer has had a chance to read up on the character and gotten to know him. Knowledge is power, and with it Hammer could deliver a true to form representation of the Dark Knight.
4) PHYSICALITY
Finally, Hammer is a behemoth of a man, standing at 6'5", making him more than able to stand his ground when confronted by Cavill's Man of Steel. Some may consider this a problem given that Cavill is a mere 6'1", but this "problem" COULD be fixed with clever camera angles, a method used to make the Hobbits and Dwarves appear shorter in The Lord of the Rings/Hobbit films. I personally don't see the need, because despite his Boy Scout reputation, Clark KNOWS that he is powerful, and suffers from a slight ego problem (see “Superman/Batman #11, 2004. Page 2 and 3.)
My biggest problem with Bale as Batman (besides the voice and the eye-wart) is that he didn’t LOOK like Bruce Wayne to me. He ACTED like Bruce Wayne. (In Begins) he had the BUILD that Bruce Wayne should possess. But his face didn’t look like the stereotypical Bruce Wayne. I think that the closest we have come to Bruce Wayne face-wise is George Clooney. Although Hammer doesn’t look like Mr. Clooney, he has the looks of a billionaire playboy. Some may call him a “pretty-boy” or “baby-face”, but I think that this works in his favor. Bruce Wayne is SUPPOSED to look like a pretty boy. It’s how he “gets” the ladies. Now, there are some panels of Greg Capullo’s art that look almost exactly like Armie Hammer with black hair. This is, of course, my opinion…
Hammer as Bats presents a unique opportunity for fans to hear what may be the closest we will ever come to hearing Kevin Conroy’s voice in live action. Gone are the days of Bale’s throat cancer; Hammer’s rich baritone, manipulated by the dark grit that we have come to expect from the character could become the definitive on-screen Batman voice. By simply heightening his voice ever so slightly, he would be more than able to portray the mask of Bruce Wayne. He has played wealthy before with the Winklevoss twins, making this a walk in the park.
HOWEVER,
BOTTOMLINE:
No matter who they cast, if WB/DC fail to deliver a great script and hire a greater director, all of this will be for naught….