It’s been four years since James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios, and one of the biggest questions surrounding their new DC Universe remains unanswered: Who’s going to play Batman?
Well, according to Gunn, we might not have to wait much longer.
During an appearance with his wife, Jennifer Holland, on The Suicide Squad: Is It Canon? The Official Podcast, Gunn revealed that casting for the DCU’s Dark Knight isn’t too far away. And before everyone starts connecting dots and throwing around rumors, he made one thing perfectly clear: Nobody has been cast yet.
Gunn also dismissed speculation that Batman is secretly lined up to appear in an upcoming DC project. As far as he’s concerned, those rumors are nonsense.
But here’s where things get interesting.
Gunn says he wants to approach Batman’s casting differently than previous filmmakers have. While Superman has traditionally been cast based on finding the right actor for the character, Gunn believes Batman has often been cast with established movie stars in mind.
This time, he wants the best actor for the role, whether that person is a household name or not. He’s even open to considering actors who have previously appeared in smaller roles in his own DC projects.
Another interesting detail? Batman and Superman will be roughly the same age.
That means whoever eventually puts on the cape and cowl will likely be somewhere in the same age range as David Corenswet, who plays Superman in Gunn’s new DC Universe.
According to Gunn, the two heroes aren’t supposed to be separated by a significant age gap. They’re contemporaries, and eventually, they’re going to become close friends.
Personally, I like that approach. Batman doesn’t necessarily need another massive Hollywood name behind the mask. He needs someone who can convincingly play both Bruce Wayne and the Dark Knight. And considering the direction Gunn is taking the DC Universe, finding an actor who can grow into the role alongside Corenswet makes a lot of sense.
Of course, there’s still the question of how this Batman will differ from Robert Pattinson’s version in Matt Reeves’ separate Batman universe.
Two Batmen. Two different interpretations. Two very different corners of DC.
Now we just need to find out who’s going to be wearing the other cape and cowl.
So, who would you cast as the DCU’s Batman?
