'The Batman' Reportedly Focusing on a Younger Version of Bruce Wayne

The will-he-won't-he saga of Ben Affleck as DC's big screen Batman may finally be coming to an end, as it looks as though Matt Reeves has a much younger Caped Crusader in mind.

Earlier this week, amidst news that Geoff Johns was stepping down as the president and chief creative officer of DC Entertainment, it was reported that The Batman, currently being developed by writer/director Matt Reeves, will likely be a reboot of the character and won't feature Affleck in the role. That report was backed up once again today.

The Hollywood Reporter released a piece this morning about DC films president Walter Hamada, and the direction in which he wants to take the franchise moving forward. The report brought up several projects that are currently in development, and offered some new details regarding the status of The Batman.

According to THR, Reeves turned in the first act of The Batman screenplay over Memorial Day weekend. This new take on Batman is said to be focusing on a younger version of Bruce Wayne, as opposed to the iteration played by Affleck. Because of this change, the report suggests that it's unlikely Affleck will be taking on the mantle for a fourth time.

Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment have yet to officially confirm or deny these reports.

Doubts about Affleck's future as Batman have been floating around for some time. The star was originally hired to not only star as the iconic DC Comics character, but also write and direct a solo film. Last year, Affleck was removed from his role as writer/director, and responsibilities were handed off to Matt Reeves, who wowed critics and audiences with his Planet of the Apes trilogy.

Ever since that news broke, Affleck's participation in upcoming DC films has been in question.

Do you think Affleck's Batman is gone for good? Who would you choose to play a younger version of the Caped Crusader? Let us know by dropping a line in the comments below!