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Gary Oldman wants Joaquin Phoenix to be Batman when Ben Affleck is done

By

Chris Begley

·

on Gary Oldman wants Joaquin Phoenix to be Batman when Ben Affleck is done

TooFab caught up with Dark Knight Trilogy star Gary Oldman last Friday at the 7th Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts International Awards. When asked who should star in The Batman if Ben Affleck doesn't end up doing that movie, Oldman had someone in mind.

"I would like to see someone like Joaquin Phoenix play it," Oldman said.

Phoenix was actually offered the role of Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman, but turned it down. It's unlikely that he'd join a big superhero movie, but what do you think? Would he make a good Batman? Let me know in the comments below.

SOURCE: TooFab

This is an archive of Batman-News.com from 2010 to 2025. For the latest news, check out BatmanNews.com

96 comments

  1. Diego! Avatar
    Diego!

    YESSSSSS! It would be spectacular! I really never thought of it. Great choice Gary! *high five*

    1. Van Harbi Avatar
      Van Harbi

      😂 😂 😂 😂 Hi5

    2. Thehawk84 Avatar
      Thehawk84

      hahaha growing fie inches lol that got to me lol literally! love it

      he'd be good, but can't fix the height issue! so he's out. lol plus batman with a hairlip ? haha

      1. germy Avatar
        germy

        WB can fix it with CGI

        1. Thehawk84 Avatar
          Thehawk84

          😂😂😂

        2. rodo Avatar
          rodo

          https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

      2. germy Avatar
        germy

        He played Johnny Cash with a harelip.

        1. Thehawk84 Avatar
          Thehawk84

          Johnny cash didn’t wear a mask where his identity is kept secret. Wouldn’t matter if he had a scare on his eye but the lip gives it away

    3. Diego! Avatar
      Diego!

      I agree. He'd be awesome!

  2. Derek Stewart Avatar
    Derek Stewart

    Great actor. Not quite right for the role.

    1. Alan Conn Avatar
      Alan Conn

      Agreed

    2. Have Hope Avatar
      Have Hope

      why not? What does not make him right for the role?

      1. Derek Stewart Avatar
        Derek Stewart

        Fair question. To be honest, it's a "Keaton" pick for me. Feels like it would be going against type in this case. Granted, we all know it worked for Keaton, and I still regard his take very highly. But, in this case, we've been against type before, and that alone could feel like a retread.
        When Bale and Affleck came in, we started to lean into a more physical presence with Bruce Wayne and Batman and I simply have trouble imagining JP fitting the bill in that way. I could see him as a villain, for sure, however.

        1. Have Hope Avatar
          Have Hope

          It all depends on how you view batman.

          For me Ben Affleck is not Batman at all, and the Bale we saw in Equilibrium and American Psycho is what we got (sort of) in Begins but not in dark knight or rises.

          Phoenix has that dark aura, and presence that captures the haunting nature that bruce wayne and batman needs to have.

        2. real Avatar
          real

          It's a Keaton pick for me too, but I love that. Something fresh

  3. thefallen83 Avatar
    thefallen83

    He's an amazing actor and looks are not all that matters. (cue people talking shit about his upper lip scar and other stupid things.)

    I dig Oldman's choice.

    1. Robert Rouse Avatar
      Robert Rouse

      There's a problem with that upper lip scar. Everyone would know he's Bruce Wayne. That cowl doesn't cover the whole face.

      1. Robin Bankes Avatar
        Robin Bankes

        He'll put a scar on the other side, think outside the box love

      2. thefallen83 Avatar
        thefallen83

        Prosthetics, my friend. There are thousands of ways, no CGI required, to fix that.

        1. Jamie Douglas Avatar
          Jamie Douglas

          Unless he grows a moustache over it. :D :D :D

        2. germy Avatar
          germy

          I think he'd be personally insulted if the studio said "You can play the Batman, but you'll have to wear a prosthetic to cover your harelip.

          I suspect he'd tell them to go fuck themselves.

          1. thefallen83 Avatar
            thefallen83

            I think he's both professional and self aware enough not to act like a fragile snowflake.

      3. Hunter Zolomon Avatar
        Hunter Zolomon

        Simple make up could cover that up.

    2. Have Hope Avatar
      Have Hope

      All that matters is himself as an actor, and he is a great one and with the right writer and director, would make an amazing batman

  4. IamTheOneWhoKnocks Avatar
    IamTheOneWhoKnocks

    Lex Luthor would have suited him much better......don't see him as Batman. I think they might go with a relatively unknown actor for the role....

    1. Robert Rouse Avatar
      Robert Rouse

      Thank you, who says it has to be a big star?

      1. IamTheOneWhoKnocks Avatar
        IamTheOneWhoKnocks

        Yeah, it could work well too....given that they want to a clean slate.

  5. marsz Avatar
    marsz

    Love this idea! great actor!

  6. Bartholomew Hunt Avatar
    Bartholomew Hunt

    OMG, please don't. It's even worse casting than BatFat.

    1. Alan Conn Avatar
      Alan Conn

      Batfat? 🙄 so fucking stupid...

    2. Have Hope Avatar
      Have Hope

      what makes the casting bad?

  7. Thanasis Avatar
    Thanasis

    Eh. He's a fantastic actor but he doesn't look close to the part. Even with makeup and a different hairstyle I don't see it. Jake is an amazing actor but could also look the part more accurately.

    1. thefallen83 Avatar
      thefallen83

      Easy fix for "looking the part": Hair & Makeup Dept.

    2. Hunter Zolomon Avatar
      Hunter Zolomon

      Michael Keaton never looked the part yet proved to be an amazing choice, Bale if you just watched The Machinist would have seemed like a crazy choice as well, hell Ledger got a ton of hate for being cast as The Joker as he seemed like a strange choice and we all know how he turned out.

      1. Thanasis Avatar
        Thanasis

        Not saying it can't work. Don't put words in my mouth. I just prefer Jake. When I first saw American Psycho all I saw was Bruce Wayne when seeing Bateman.

        1. Hunter Zolomon Avatar
          Hunter Zolomon

          I never put words in your mouth, i actually prefer Jake as well as he's one of my favorite actors, i was just saying that looks aren't everything.

          1. Thanasis Avatar
            Thanasis

            I completely agree. And there are a bunch of examples that illustrate your point. But I've always liked it when the actors "look the part" in addition to being good actors

          2. Rust Avatar
            Rust

            It's 100% fair to hope for the actor to resemble the character he's playing. Simply makes sense.

          3. Have Hope Avatar
            Have Hope

            it's more better when they don't LOOK THE PART but subvert your expectations.

          4. Thanasis Avatar
            Thanasis

            I disagree, I don't think it's better. It's a safer choice to pick someone who looks like the character than to pick someone completely random just to subvert tropes. You risk alienating a lot of people. Like with The Last Jedi. I think it can work but in rare cases.

      2. BugsMeany Avatar
        BugsMeany

        Yes...but Bale in American Psycho or Reign of Fire _did_ look the part. The Machinist should not be used to make a point, unless you're arguing that he'd risk his life for a performance.

        1. Hunter Zolomon Avatar
          Hunter Zolomon

          I was meaning The Machinist was the current film he had when cast so if you just watched that and then got told he's playing Batman you would be pretty shocked.

          1. BugsMeany Avatar
            BugsMeany

            Ahh, OK.

  8. Bartholomew Hunt Avatar
    Bartholomew Hunt

    I would love for them to have Batman retire and for Nightwing to take over, at least for the next few years. That way they keep continuity and give us some time to miss Batman. It could be so fucking cool to have Wonder Woman and Nightwing teaming up, possibly with a fresh GL. Maybe even give Cavil a cameo (he's BO poison).

    1. OptimistPrime99 Avatar
      OptimistPrime99

      I think most fans actually wanna see their favorite character on the big screen, not miss them because of a fickle actor. Sidelining Bruce Wayne, in order to prop up Dick Grayson, is unnecessary. Both should be active, while giving the audience a different kind of vigilante story to follow. If he even gets to make the movie, Chris McKay's challenge will be to establish Nightwing as a solo franchise, not just a potential replacement for Batman.

    2. Alan Conn Avatar
      Alan Conn

      Jesus thats a terrible idea.

  9. attentionisattention Avatar
    attentionisattention

    Great actor and looks like an older David Mazouz. But still not a top pick for me.

  10. NinjaGamer13 Avatar
    NinjaGamer13

    1. Ben Affleck
    2. Jon Hamm
    3. Jake Gyllenhaal

    4. Joaquin Phoenix

    1. Bartholomew Hunt Avatar
      Bartholomew Hunt

      Every male on earth capable of standing.
      Steve Buscemi.
      - - -
      Fat, drunken Batfleck.

      1. NinjaGamer13 Avatar
        NinjaGamer13

        Right okay

        1. NinjaGamer13 Avatar
          NinjaGamer13

          True. Total missed opportunity. Disqus won’t letnme upload images anymore, though :/ Always says I “must be logged in” (which I obviously am)

    2. Have Hope Avatar
      Have Hope

      1. Crap actor
      2. Looks too cheesy
      3. Second choice

      4. Best actor, top choice

      1. NinjaGamer13 Avatar
        NinjaGamer13

        Ben Affleck is a fine actor, so I’m not sure where that came from, but he looks great as the role, and is already in the role, so him staying would be the optimal outcome to preserve continuity if nothing else

        Jon Hamm is the best choice is Ben does leave, because he still looks like a great old Bruce Wayne and could pull off the recasting rather smoothly

        Jake is a good actor and can look pretty good as Bruce, but he’s a bit young looking, so not as preferable as the other two

        Joaquin is so NOT Bruce Wayne

        1. Have Hope Avatar
          Have Hope

          ben affleck is a crap actor. Sorry.

  11. Filip ! Avatar
    Filip !

    Good actor but dude looks nothing like Batman.

  12. Hunter Zolomon Avatar
    Hunter Zolomon

    Actually he would be a fantastic choice and damn he would have made a great Lex as well, good choice Oldman good choice.

  13. Cocaine Cowboy Avatar
    Cocaine Cowboy

    I'd prefer him as The Riddler, although my first choice for Riddler would be Eddie Redmayne.

  14. Jesse Hernandez Avatar
    Jesse Hernandez

    VERY VERY talented actor especially him as Commodus in gladiator. The thing with him he does what Daniel Day Lewis does.... doesn’t do multi contract films... but I’m pretty sure he could’ve been a good Luther

  15. Bruce Wayne Avatar
    Bruce Wayne

    When it comes to great actors, Joaquin Phoenix is in the upper echelon of them. He's in the same league as Jake Gyllenhall, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, etc...

    Phoenix is such a great actor, Affleck won't even be worthy to shine his bat boots. Affleck certainly had the Bruce Wayne look, but his acting was horrific. Phoenix may not have "the look" for Bruce Wayne, but he's the type of actor who can re-define it, the same way Heath Ledger did with the Joker.

    However, if it were up to me, I would pass on Phoenix, on the account that he is too short. PLEASE...we already had one Bat-midget in Michael Keaton, not another. LOL...I still laugh at the memory of watching Keaton run down the street with Kim Basinger. LOL...it was as if Mommy (Bassinger) was taking his boy (Keaton) trick or treating. PLEASE NO MORE MIDGET Batmen.

    If someone can find a way to add 3-4 more inches to Phoenix's height, then I am all for it. Until then,...

    PASS.

    1. kan Avatar
      kan

      It will create a Tom Cruise situation...hire short co-actors and add IKEA crates to the budget for him to stand on.

      He is all wrong for the part. Wasn't Joaquin the one who quit acting, gone a bit mental and started a hip-hop career in his public life all for a movie that no one really went to see? Yeah....I am thinking PASS!

    2. NinjaGamer13 Avatar
      NinjaGamer13

      Still laughing at the comment that Ben Affleck’s acting was “horrific” - he’s literally one of the only good parts of BvS, according to most

      1. Rust Avatar
        Rust

        Guy clearly has no idea what he's talking about. His warped, willfully angry take on Keaton is no less childish and petty.

        Everything seems to revolve around Batman being excessively tall or he's not Batman, no matter how good the actor is. lol

      2. NinjaGamer13 Avatar
        NinjaGamer13

        BvS was great, lol, but okay
        But anyway, no, Ben Affleck is generally considered a genuinely good Batman, not just the least bad of all of the bad.

  16. Rohit Chakravarty Avatar
    Rohit Chakravarty

    We got Maximus as Superman's kryptonian dad Jor-El in Man of Steel, Lucila as Hippolyta (and Diana's mum) in Wonder Woman, and now Commodus as Bruce Wayne/Batman...ok....tell me DC fans....

    ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!!!
    (no pun intended, of course...)

  17. Brett John Avatar
    Brett John

    Noooo! Holy shit who does these castings? I dont even want this to be a potential condidate... fuck no.

    1. Brett John Avatar
      Brett John

      I gave my IMO piece of my mind. Phoenix is talented, but bringing up 'He would make a good Batman' regardless whether really being casted or a simple interview question... i will always be against. If you think I actually care that much, nah, not really. Just liked comics growing up. Ben Affleck was alright. It was actually DC's terrible build up of characters and relationships that made me cringe for each DCEU film. Man Of Steel and Wonder Woman were the only decent films... however, Man of steel's Lois and Clark relationship was so forced and actually cringeworthy.

  18. OptimistPrime99 Avatar
    OptimistPrime99

    Pheonix's trademark according to IMDB: "Often plays emotionally and mentally troubled characters". Hmm. That moment when you realize... https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

    1. gabi bats Avatar
      gabi bats

      Bruce isnt emotionally and mentally troubled. He's one happy mothafucka

  19. Nahuel Benvenuto Avatar
    Nahuel Benvenuto

    he is a good actor, he could pull it off

  20. AnonymousHero Avatar
    AnonymousHero

    He has a certain Lex Luthor edge to his vibe so I get that viewpoint but no to the Bat. There are better and even accurate taller actors in my book for the Bat that have the total package for the role. But it has nothing to do with his acting. Just not the right one.

  21. gabi bats Avatar
    gabi bats

    I like him, but naw.

  22. Angel Avatar
    Angel

    Great actor, but i dont see it

  23. Alan Conn Avatar
    Alan Conn

    NOOOOOO!!!!!! I like Phoenix... but hes not right for Batman... id rather see Gyllehaal personally.

  24. Robin Bankes Avatar
    Robin Bankes

    F to the A!!! 100% he or Jake

  25. That Guy Avatar
    That Guy

    This isn't the sort of movie Phoenix joins in to play a role nor do I think he could play a character here other than a villain.

  26. Fubar Avatar
    Fubar

    No

  27. thejaywhip Avatar
    thejaywhip

    Although he's been Magneto, I think Michael Fassbender is my first pick.

  28. Vger64 Avatar
    Vger64

    I have an idea. Why don't they get someone with talent that maybe an up and coming star.... somebody that most people don't know who he is?

  29. ItzSilentStorm Avatar
    ItzSilentStorm

    wasnt he Darren Aronovsky's choice?

    1. attentionisattention Avatar
      attentionisattention

      Yup

    2. Have Hope Avatar
      Have Hope

      yep....and i still wanted to have seen that batman film

  30. Shah Avatar
    Shah

    No. Not quite a good fit.

    Go for ANSON MOUNT.

    Its all in the eyes. Especially when you do most of the acting behind a mask. Plus, to play a tormented person like Bruce Wayne, yr eyes needs to tell that.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.c... https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

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