Co-writer/director Jared Stern explains why Keanu Reeves was chosen to voice Batman in DC League of Super-Pets. Ahead of his war with the High Table in John Wick 4, Reeves will also voice the Dark Knight himself in DC League of Super-Pets, which releases in theaters on July 29. As its title implies, the animated film focuses on the pets of DC’s iconic superheroes. In addition to Reeves, its star-studded cast includes Dwayne Johnson as Krypto, Kevin Hart as Ace, John Krasinski as Superman, Marc Maron as Lex Luthor, Vanessa Bayer, Kate McKinnon, Natasha Lyonne, and Diego Luna.
Inspired by DC Comics’ Legion of Super-Pets, Stern and co-director Sam Levine’s film follows Krypto the Super-Dog, Ace the Bat-Hound, and a misfit group of super animals on a rescue mission after Superman, Batman, and the rest of the Justice League are captured. While the adventure does feature Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series)—who many consider Bruce Wayne/Batman’s definitive voice actor—it’s Reeves who wears the animated cape in DC League of Super-Pets.
In a Screen Rant exclusive interview, Jared Stern discussed Reeves’ role in DC League of Super-Pets. According to the writer/director, Reeves was the perfect choice for the film’s “haunted” Batman who, like John Wick, could really use a (man's best) friend. Read what he had to say below:
“Then Keanu Reeves' voice was just such a perfect match for that, I think he would have been a great live-action Batman, but he's wonderful as our animated haunted Batman and, most importantly, for our movie. I think he's a guy who could really use a pet. And he really had fun with it. I'm nervous to direct wonderful, amazing actors who I've loved my whole life and I think he was he was so excited to be Batman. When you work in an animated movie, it kind of makes you a kid again, and to be Batman, it was pretty fun.”
Reeves’ Batman was revealed in a March trailer for DC League of Super-Pets, which focused on Batman and Ace’s first meeting as they discovered their similarities. Set to Danny Elfman’s score for Tim Burton’s Batman, the trailer played many Batman tropes for laughs. It proved Reeves’ tortured vibe and gravelly voice a hilarious fit, with the likes of Kevin Smith praising Reeves’ casting in DC League of Super-Pets.
Long before he became John Wick or The Matrix’s Neo, Reeves was offered the role of the Caped Crusader in Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever. Ultimately, Val Kilmer took over as Batman and Reeves expressed regret at passing up the opportunity to play Batman. Thankfully, fate has allowed him to voice the character in DC League of Super-Pets during a time when Reeves couldn’t be more popular. It may not be long before the actor plays a comic book character in live action as Reeves has met with Kevin Feige for a potential role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Regarding the possibility of playing a live-action Batman, Reeves said maybe down the road when the world needs an older Bruce Wayne (beyond Michael Keaton).
