Joey Lawrence is Trying Really Hard to Play the Next Batman

Although there had been years of speculation, Ben Affleck finally confirmed he was stepping down from the role of Batman last month via a simple tweet. We’d already been theorizing who could play the Caped Crusader next, but after Affleck’s for sure departure, the bets on who will take his place have been at an all-time high. From frontrunners Armie Hammer and Jon Hamm, to unlikely actors such as Nick Jonas, the buzz on who the new Bruce Wayne will be won’t stop until Warner Bros announces Matt Reeves’ new leading man. And the amount of people volunteering themselves for the part is impressive.

One of the latest men to throw his name in the hat is definitely an unlikely one, as Joey Lawrence is now rallying for his fans to help him land the part. You probably know the 42-year-old actor for his parts in comedic shows like Melissa & Joey, Blossom, and Brotherly Love, but he’s clearly trying to get his chance at a dark and brooding character for a change.

Taking to Instagram, Lawrence has been very vocal on his desire to play Batman. His first post back in January alerted his fans, “I want this part! Let’s do this!! Been dreaming of saving #Gotham far back as my memory goes!” Another post following Affleck’s departure confirmation included the caption, “It’s time @dccomics and @warnerbrosentertainment to take a chance. Go for something #outside the box like @marvel did with casting Chris Pratt as #starlord in #guardiansofthegalaxy I’m ready to save #gotham.” A third post showed Affleck’s quote that he “couldn’t crack” the role, with Lawrence writing, “I can crack!!!!”

We’re telling you, this guy really wants the part!

And Lawrence’s most recent post about Batman, dated four days ago, shows a side-by-side photo of him and the Gotham superhero, announcing that a petition has in fact been started to get him in.

The petition, which has a goal of 1,000 signatures, currently has 783 at the time of this article. While we’re not sure hitting the goal will really do anything for his chances, maybe Warner Bros will take notice of all the chatter he’s trying to generate online. It’s better than nothing, right?

With Reeves’ film The Batman slated for a 2021 theatrical release, either Warner Bros has found their new Batman and just haven’t announced it yet, or they’d better get to casting him ASAP.

This article also appears on Mental Floss.