The DCU is officially looking for the next actor to star as Batman in its upcoming film, The Brave and the Bold, which will introduce the iconic Caped Crusader to James Gunn's rebooted cinematic universe. The next live-action Dark Knight will co-exist alongside Robert Pattinson's Batman, who will be set in his own Elseworlds universe, while filling out the first chapter of the DCU, titled "Gods and Monsters." Although the new Batman likely won't make his debut until 2025 or later, it is never too early to begin theorizing exactly which actor might be the next to bring the beloved superhero to life on the big screen.
The Brave and the Bold will follow Batman and his son Damian Wayne, who will be the Robin of the DCU moving forward. Although James Gunn has confirmed very little about the upcoming film other than its two lead characters, the mere presence of Damian already hints at what actors will be considered for the role of his father, Bruce Wayne. Because the new Batman must be old enough to have a crime-fighting son, the DCU will likely skew older with its casting, focusing on actors who are old enough to be fathers, but still young enough to remain a part of the franchise for the foreseeable future.
Jensen Ackles
Jensen Ackles is the perfect casting choice for the DCU's Batman. Known for his work in Supernatural, Ackles has been a common name brought up each time DC has sought a new actor to bring Batman to life. Currently, in his mid-forties, Ackles's time as the DCU's Dark Knight may be somewhat limited, but there is no denying that his take on the character would be a sight to behold. In his famous performance as Dean Winchester, Ackles consistently proves himself to be gruff, but not unapproachable, brooding, but not to an excruciating degree, and noble, but not without limits to his nobility, all important attributes for any good Batman.
Interestingly, Jensen Ackles has been involved with DC in the past, though none of their collaborations have made it to production yet. While it remains unclear what the state of Ackles's DC projects are after James Gunn and Peter Safran's recent takeover, the actor has consistently proven his merit in the superhero arena, most recently with his role as Soldier Boy in The Boys. Portraying a warped parody of Captain America, Ackles shows that he has the chops to pull off a darker superhero who isn't afraid of getting his hands dirty. While Soldier Boy is decidedly more murderous than Batman, Ackles's current superhero role perfectly plays into his next.
Richard Madden
Richard Madden is an actor who has what it takes to lead the DCU as its new Batman. The Scottish actor is not only perfect for portraying the violent vigilantism of The Dark Knight, but also the exuberant charm of Bruce Wayne. In films like Rocketman and the 2015 live-action reboot of Cinderella, Madden has demonstrated a similar charm to that of a young Christian Bale, who arguably brought the most charisma to the role of Bruce Wayne out of any actor to play the role before. As Bruce Wayne, Richard Madden can be a leading character in the DCU who is far more than just his superhero alter-ego.
Madden is also no stranger to action-heavy roles. Most recently, he starred as Ikaris, a powerful superhero in the MCU's Eternals, which, while controversial, showcased Madden's uncanny ability to portray a deeply complex individual capable of both great good and great evil in fighting for what he believes in. The actor's breakout role as Robb Stark in Game of Thrones also displayed his proclivity for portraying nobility. As Robb Stark, Madden brought to life a hero that other characters could rally behind, even if they didn't always agree with his choices, an attribute that has become an essential piece of the Batman mythos, especially in stories involving the Justice League.
Jake Gyllenhaal
Although the role eventually went to Christian Bale, Christopher Nolan once considered Jake Gyllenhaal for the role of Batman in The Dark Knight trilogy, and for good reason. Throughout his long and impressive career in Hollywood, Jake Gyllenhaal has proven his range and ability as an actor. Through his work in films like Love & Other Drugs and Brokeback Mountain, Gyllenhaal has been able to display many of the disarming qualities that make Bruce Wayne a delight to watch onscreen, but other projects, including Donnie Darko, prove that he can also believably capture a character's darker attributes, the other side of Bruce Wayne that is essential to understanding his methods.
While much of his early career focused on smaller arthouse pieces, Gyllenhaal has expanded into more varied movies in recent years, including his role as the villainous Quentin Beck, a.k.a. Mysterio, in Spider-Man: Far From Home. In this role and others similar to it, including Ambulance and the upcoming Road House reboot, the actor has demonstrated his newfound propensity for appearing in action-heavy blockbusters. In fact, the recent expansion of his filmography suggests that casting him as the new Batman would be an even better choice now than it would have been at the onset of The Dark Knight trilogy, with Gyllenhaal gaining nearly twenty additional years of experience thereafter.
Michael Fassbender
Despite his recent acting break leading to rumors that he had retired, Michael Fassbender is preparing for a major comeback. With three films set for 2023 releases, including The Killer and Taika Waititi's Next Goal Wins, Fassbender is poised to remind the world that he remains one of the world's most talented actors alive today. Through his captivating performances as the titular character in films like Steve Jobs and 2015's Macbeth, Fassbender brings to life immensely complicated characters whom the audience both loves and hates. It is through his expert navigation of the dichotomy between heroism and myopic fixation that Fassbender proves merit as the next Batman.
Michael Fassbender is best known in the superhero world for portraying the young Magneto, a role that the MCU will recast in the near future. While his role as the X-Men supervillain was unfortunately limited, Fassbender managed to measure up to Sir Ian McKellan's iconic performance from the original films in the franchise. As such, Fassbender can continue the long history of Batman actors who have also played comic book villains, a list which includes Michael Keaton and Christian Bale, once more proving that the line between Gotham City's Caped Crusader and the supervillains he fights each night is razor-thin. In this dark reality, Fassbender's Batman can truly shine.
Jon Hamm
Jon Hamm is another name that is frequently brought up when discussing Batman casting, and understandably so. Hamm is one of the most successful cast members of Mad Men since the hit series ended, appearing in major projects like Confess, Fletch, and Top Gun: Maverick in 2022 alone. A major reason that Hamm is frequently cast as The Dark Knight is that he simply looks and sounds the part. While appearance certainly isn't everything when casting as complex a hero as Batman, it certainly doesn't hurt for DC to cast an actor who truly looks like he could be Gotham City's sworn protector, which is one benefit that Jon Hamm undoubtedly possesses.
Moreover, Hamm is a talented actor who is still looking for the perfect film role to shoot him into superstardom. Although his recent comedic role in Confess, Fletch helped Hamm break from Mad Men's legacy, there is no denying that the actor truly shines when portraying a morally ambiguous character with a propensity for deceit. In the DCU, Hamm would be able to perfectly inhabit the disconnect between Bruce Wayne and Batman, which will only grow thinner as his son Damian enters the picture. Having portrayed similarly complicated fatherly roles in the past, Jon Hamm may be the perfect actor to bring Batman to life once more in the DCU's The Brave and the Bold.
