Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Joe Manganiello, Richard Armitage in the Mix for Batman in MAN OF STEEL Sequel?

The Hollywood Reporter writes that MAN OF STEEL director Zack Snyder is beginning to look at actors for the role of Batman in his upcoming sequel, which will bring together the greatest super heroes of all time for the first time on the big screen.

This Bruce Wayne/Batman will be in his late 30s or early 40s. Among the frontrunners are Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Joe Manganiello, Richard Armitage, Max Martini and Matthew Goode.

Read the original report here.

Brolin has starred in Gangster Squad, Jonah Hex, the upcoming Quasimodo, Crazy for the Storm and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, as well as Inherent Vice, Oldboy, Labor Day and Everest. Gosling has also appeared in Gangster Squad, as well as The Place Beyond the Pines, Drive, Blue Valentine, Fracture, Half Nelson and more.

Manganiello was being considered as a possible Superman for MAN OF STEEL before Henry Cavill got the job. He has appeared in TV's True Blood, How I Met Your Mother and ER. His upcoming projects include Tumbledown, Knight of Cups and Sabotage. Armitage has appeared on TV in Strike Back, Robin Hood, MI-5 and more, as well as Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit films.

Martini's TV credits include Revenge, Castle and Hawaii Five-O. On the big screen he recently appeared in Pacific Rim. His next projects are Captain Phillips, Hunting Season and Sabotage. Goode worked with Snyder in 2009's Watchmen as Ozymandias. His upcoming films include Belle, Magik, The Vatican, The Imitation Game and Destroyer.

The current hit MAN OF STEEL has taken in more than $630 million at the worldwide box office to date, and climbing. Along with its star, Henry Cavill, the upcomingfilm brings back Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane.

Snyder is co-writing the story with David S. Goyer, who will then pen the screenplay. Production is expected to begin in 2014, with an anticipated release date in summer 2015.

The new film brings back Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder as producers. This time, Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas are serving as executive producers, along with Benjamin Melniker and Michael E. Uslan.

The film is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, and Batman characters created by Bob Kane, published by DC Entertainment.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride