Ben Affleck’s future playing Batman on the big screen may be over — in part because the cost of insuring him may have gotten too steep, multiple industry insiders told TheWrap.

The actor, a recovering alcoholic who checked himself into rehab last week for the third time in the last two decades and the second time in just over a year, may have priced himself out of a pricey tentpole studio movie like Warner Bros.’ upcoming “The Batman.”

“More than likely the studio will replace him because the insurance costs are going to go through the roof,” a representative for a completion bond company told TheWrap

“He would be bondable, but the deductible would be really high, probably the budget of the film,” an attorney who specializes in insurance and bond products added.

The bond company insider said insurers might only demand half of the film’s budget set aside in escrow as a deductible — which could still add up for Warner Bros. since the production budget on Affleck’s 2017 Batman appearance, “Justice League,” was around $300 million.

If a “Justice League” sequel moved forward at that price with Affleck attached, the insider said, the deductible could drive the budget up to $450 million — before marketing expenses.

Sometimes, when a studio is considering an actor for a role in a property known for its iconic imagery, they ask for some visual assistance during the process. It’s not at all uncommon for the studio to request a digital mock-up of an actor in a particular costume- especially if that actor is busy on another project at the moment and unable to come in and model it themselves, or if they currently have hair and facial hair for another project that clashes with how they’d look in the project they’re currently being considered for.

A couple of months back, Warner Bros. requested digital mock-ups of a pair of actors who were seemingly in contention for the title role in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, and while both have been brought to my attention, I’m only going to reveal one today. Reason being I still have lingering questions about one of them, so until those get answered, I’m going to hold onto it (yes, listeners of The Fanboy Podcast, it’s the “third man” I mentioned on Friday’s show).

Before I reveal it, I want to note that there’s no reason to believe this went anywhere. It may have, and it may not have. Regardless, I find these things interesting because they reveal the thought process behind who/what they’re looking for, and this one in particular shows that Reeves seems to have a type in mind.

Why do I say that? Because two other actors I know he’s spoken to about playing Batman have the same general build and look. We’re talking about Jake Gyllenhaal and Jack Huston.

Now let’s add another name to the list of folks who’ve apparently danced with the Dark Knight by the pale moonlight:

Kit Harington.

Yup, in June Warner Bros. was keen to see what he’d look like in a Batman suit so they requested some digital mock-ups of the Game of Thrones star as The Caped Crusader.

As mentioned earlier on, my source on this has no idea if that was the end of it (or the start of it). It’s just something interesting that happened, and I thought my fellow news-starved DC fans would find this noteworthy.

Harrington is 5’8, which puts him in the same range as Gyllenhaal and Huston, with all three actors being between 5’8 and 6′- once again demonstrating that Reeves isn’t hung up on casting a big guy for Batman. Also notable here is that Harrington, unlike those other two, is far closer to the age I hear Bruce Wayne will be in the movie. If you’ll recall, in my last significant update on The Batman– which Matt Reeves would go on to confirm most of a week later- I shared that they’re looking for someone to play a Batsy who’s between 25 and 30 years of age. Harington is 31.

On last Friday’s episode of The Fanboy Podcast, I mentioned two other actors I’ve heard in connection to The Batman. They’re Jack O’Connell and Noah Centineo. But with those two, it’s unclear why their names are currently being spoken in the same breath as this film by casting people in Hollywood right now. I don’t know if it’s because the studio wants them, or because their agents are campaigning for them to read for the role, or if they’re up for different, supporting roles in the film. The details with them are vague, at best. But they’re also both 5’8″ and 6’1, respectively.

Meanwhile, what’s interesting about the other actor- the one I’m not comfortable sharing just yet- is that he’s far closer to the Affleck mold than any of these other names I’ve heard. Because of that, I think he may end up being the actual frontrunner- which is why I don’t want to run it until I’m absolutely positive. Please pardon my hesitance here, but this would be the biggest story of my career. Yes, even bigger than breaking the story about how the studio was extensively overhauling Justice League last May. So I’ve got to be careful.

For now, just ruminate on the fact that the studio was kicking around the idea of Harington as Batman.

SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 11:51am PT by Ryan Parker
Jon Hamm Says He Is Interested in Playing Batman

Although the 'Mad Men' star notes, "I have never had a conversation with anyone about it, literally."
Jon Hamm has interest in playing Batman — as long as the script is good.

Talking to Graham Bensinger in an interview for his series In Depth that was posted Wednesday, the Mad Men star said he has always been a comic book fan and, yes, had given some thought to playing the Caped Crusader. But, there are some conditions.

"It depends on the script, what the story is," Hamm told Bensinger. "I am a huge comic book fan, always have been. I have read comic books since I was nine or younger. And I am pretty knowledgeable about a lot of them. And I like the genre, and I like when they are done well."

Saying he loved Black Panther and that he watches FX's Legion, Hamm said he has yet to have any official conversation about perhaps playing Batman, but "I'd probably fit the suit. I'd have to work out a lot, which I don't love. But, I am sure there is an interesting version of that being out there. And if they wanted to tap me on the shoulder and ask me to do it: why not?"

Bensinger said there had been murmers among fans for years who believed Hamm would make a great Bruce Wayne/Batman. Hamm said he was aware.

"I have had rumors about that since probably season one of Mad Men," he said. "I have never had a conversation with anyone about it, literally. And I've sat in the room with all these guys. I have never been offered anything. I think the Internet wants what it wants. But, I mean, a lot of people have to sign off on that, obviously not just the Internet."

For the moment, Ben Affleck is donning the cape and cowl on the big screen for Warner Bros.