Timothee Chalamet Laughs Off Batman Rumors

Beautiful Boy star Timothée Chalamet was surprised, and amused, to learn there are some internet calls for the 22-year-old actor to be the next Batman.

“What? When? Who said that?” Chalamet said with a laugh when approached by Variety about being the next actor to step into the famed cape and cowl.

Asked if he’s a Batman fan, Chamalet said, “Yeah, absolutely. The Dark Knight, that’s one of my favorite films.” Pressed about his potential candidacy for a superhero role, Chalamet shrugged.

“I want to work on things like — anything that’s good,” he said.

War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves is now developing The Batman, reportedly centered around a younger caped crusader who eventually grows into the veteran burned-out crimefighter played by Ben Affleck in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.

Affleck’s tentative attachment to the role has fueled speculation the 46-year-old actor won’t be involved with The Batman or other future DCEU projects.

Most recently, Affleck re-entered rehab — a move that could price the star right out of the role — but has been keeping in shape during his rehab stint and is reportedly interested stepping back into the role “at least one more time,” according to a close source to the star. Talks of being replaced as Batman and seeing snippets of acclaimed actor Joaquin Phoenix’s take on the Joker in his own solo origin movie is credited with Affleck’s renewed interest in the role.

Neither Reeves nor Affleck have yet to comment definitively on Affleck’s potential involvement with The Batman. The director stepped around questions about utilizing Affleck when fielding inquiries about The Batman during the Television Critics Association’s press tour over the summer following a June report from THR that alleged the film stars a younger Batman, which would limit Affleck’s involvement or preclude it entirely.

While details remain scarce, Reeves said his project is not an origin tale and is not based on “any particular” comic book, but will instead draw from decades of material to tell a story that is “definitively Batman.” He characterized his spin on the franchise as a “noir-driven” detective story that is “emotional and yet is really about [Batman] being the world’s greatest detective.”

Studio Warner Bros. has yet to set a release date for The Batman.