Jake Gyllenhaal Would Play Batman, Says He Misses Heath Ledger

Jake Gyllenhaal has been actively promoting his new boxing flick, Southpaw. During his promotional tour, the actor has been revealing details on his past relationships and his acting career. Now, Jake is opening up about taking on the role of Batman and losing his friend and co-star, Heath Ledger.

Before Ben Affleck was announced as the new Batman, there was much speculation over who would take over the role. Jake Gyllenhaal’s name has popped up several times by fans who wanted him to play the role. During his interview with ESPN’s Mike and Mike in the Morning, Gyllenhaal said that he would love to play the role of the cape crusader.

The hunky actor already has some projects lined up. That hasn’t stopped fans from wondering if Jake would ever star in a romantic comedy. After a long pause, Jake gave Entertainment Tonight his response about starring in such a film.

“You know what, to me it’s just all about whether or not you can give your all to a role.”

The last time Gyllenhaal played in a romantic comedy was in 2010’s Love & Other Drugs alongside co-star Anne Hathaway. He was then asked if he would do a superhero movie, maybe in the Marvel realm.

“It doesn’t really matter what genre it’s in or what the story’s about to me. Sometimes those things touch you and you go, ‘All right, I’m down to do it.’ Whether it’s funny, or it’s moving, whatever it is. I’m down as long as there’s commitment involved.”

Gyllenhaal doesn’t have a preference when it comes to picking his roles. If he were to ever become the next Batman, fans would wish that he could reprise the role with Heath Ledger. The actor was best known for his iconic role as The Joker in The Dark Knight. Gyllenhaal and Ledger also played in the romantic film Brokeback Mountain back in 2005. Ledger died from an accidental drug overdose in 2008 at the age of 28. During his Fresh Air interview, Gyllenhaal opened up about how he still misses his friend and coworker to this day.

“I miss him as a human being and I miss working with him and what an unfortunate thing it is that we won’t be able to see the beauty of his expression.”

Although Jake misses Heath, he says that he tries to channel his grief by staying focused on his work.

“I think losing Heath and being part of a family that was something like the movie… makes you appreciate that and hopefully moves you away from the things that really don’t matter to the things that do. He was incredibly special and that doesn’t even come close to encapsulating who he is, who he was.”

Do you think Jake Gyllenhaal would make a good Batman? Would you have loved to see him act with Heath Ledger once again? Share your thoughts below in the comments section.

[Image: Franco Origlia/Getty Images]