Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy came to an incredible end over the summer, concluding one of the most successful trilogies in history, and bringing to a close his arc in the Batman saga.

Warner Bros. have two projects currently in development to bring the next Batman to the screen, and the first most likely to reach our theatres is the coming Justice League movie.

We’ve been hearing plenty of rumours surrounding the directors – first with Ben Affleck, and then Lana and Andy Wachowski – and now the first rumour has arrived for who will be donning the black cape, with Moviehole reporting that Armie Hammer is topping the list of potentials.

He would be starring in the DC equivalent to Marvel’s The Avengers, which would unite Batman alongside Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and the Martian Manhunter.

Hammer was cast in the same role in George Miller’s Justice League: Mortal, which failed to materialise five years ago when the project couldn’t quite get off the ground, so close to shooting.

But with Hammer’s recognition increasing ten-fold in the years since, with much praise for his role in The Social Network, and a leading role in Disney’s upcoming The Lone Ranger blockbuster, casting him in one of the most sought-after roles coming up in Hollywood could certainly be a smart move.

He’s a terrific actor, who had already been tested for the part years ago, even before we all really knew who he was, and now that we do, things can only have improved to be working in his favour.

We’ve known for a little while that the nature of the Justice League movie isn’t entirely concrete, with regards to the other Batman solo project in the works at the studio, who haven’t officially confirmed whether or not the actor cast in the ensemble will also take the role in the solo movies (á la Marvel Phase One [excluding The Incredible Hulk]).

All we really know for sure is that Warner Bros. quietly hired Will Beall (Gangster Squad, Castle) to pen the script towards the end of last year, and he’s already turned in a draft that the studio must be looking forward to making.

So for the time being, like the recent rumour of Emily Blunt and Ruth Wilson circling the role of Ms. Marvel for The Avengers 2, this is one for the rumour mill, albeit with a little more credibility considering Hammer’s previous involvement with the role. More as we get it.