Holy surprise, Batman!

Oscar-winner Ben Affleck has been outed by several media sources (The Wrap and IGN, among others) as the next actor who’ll play Batman. Not only that, he’ll don the cape for 2015’s heavily anticipated Man of Steel sequel, which will unite arguably the biggest superheroes in mainstream media: Batman and Superman.

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After much speculation stemming from Comic-Con‘s huge announcement, we now have a new Dark Knight. Tyler Hoechlin and Orlando Bloom were rumored frontrunners, and Christian Bale received a 50-million offer to reprise the role that catapulted him into superstardom.

I was personally rooting for either Joel Edgerton or Josh Brolin, two proven talents that could bring some weight to the role as well as look good in the suit.

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I have to say I wasn’t expecting an announcement so soon and I really wasn’t expecting Affleck to get the role. I’m a bit bummed that neither of my top picks got the gig, as I’m sure that either one of them would’ve been so good as the Caped Crusader. But then I think about fuckin’ Orlando Bloom in that coveted part and I shudder, so I’m thankful for the choice.

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I’ve said before that I prefer Ben Affleck as a writer/director. Gone Baby Gone, The Town and Argo are all very good films and a hell of a way to start a filmography. He’s three-for-three so far behind the camera. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t think he’s a good actor (even if underrated baby brother Casey is so much better) and I have faith that he’ll do a solid job in the role.  He better, right?

Affleck will join Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney and Christian Bale as the lucky actors who have gotten the opportunity to play the coolest superhero ever. Please don’t screw it up, Benny.