The Batman is proving to be a fresh new take on one of DC’s most popular superheroes, but many of the actors that appear in the film can also be found in Marvel projects. The two comic book powerhouses are often considered to be rivals in the superhero genre, with both utilizing a narrative model of movies in shared cinematic universes. The MCU has dominantly maintained a chokehold over the box office since its conception in 2008, but many DC titles have been released to higher critical acclaim such as The Dark Knight, Joker and The Suicide Squad.
Matt Reeves’ The Batman is the latest film to join this positive critical reception, with many welcoming Robert Pattinson’s take on the caped crusader as a breath of fresh air after the DCEU version of the Batman, played by Ben Affleck, was notably underused. Reeves’ vision of the superhero is much darker than any MCU counterpart, exposing the crime and corruption of Gotham City through the framework of a detective mystery. The film recasts many of its most notable roles with some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
While the worlds of Marvel and DC will almost certainly never overlap on the big screen, many actors have taken roles in movie and TV adaptations of both franchises. The Batman is no exception, with many of the DC movie's cast having formally appeared in Marvel projects. From the MCU to wider Marvel TV series and films that may or may not be considered MCU canon in the future, here are all the actors from The Batman who previously held Marvel roles.
Andy Serkis: Alfred and Ulysses Klaue
Andy Serkis plays Alfred Pennyworth in The Batman. This new take on Bruce Wayne’s butler and confidant relies on Serkis’ size and build to position the character as more of a bodyguard to the central hero. His build similarly played into his roles in the MCU's Avengers: Age of Ultron and Black Panther in which Serkis plays arms dealer Ulysses Klaue. The character was shot dead by Killmonger in Black Panther, but with the multiverse opening in the MCU, his return is not out of the question.
Zoë Kravitz: Selina Kyle/Catwoman and Angel Salvadore
The Batman introduces Zoë Kravitz as the hero’s renowned accomplice and occasional foe, Catwoman, with hints of their budding relationship. Kravitz portrays the character much like the crime fighter’s role in DC’s popular comic, Batman: Year One, utilizing her flexibility and athleticism to move around Gotham unnoticed. Outside of DC, Kravitz also appeared as Angel Salvadore in Marvel’s X-Men: First Class. The film served as a prequel to the previous X-Men movies and may become more relevant again as the X-Men are introduced into the MCU.
Jeffrey Wright: James Gordon and The Watcher/Uatu
Taking over from Gary Oldman’s portrayal in the Nolan trilogy, Jeffrey Wright plays Lieutenant James Gordon in The Batman. Not yet a commissioner, Wright’s James Gordon is still relatively new to Gotham PD and uses his ties with Batman to help solve the Riddler’s clues. Wright also voiced Uatu, also known as The Watcher, in the Marvel series What If…? The character is a presence that watches over the multiverse without ever intervening unless he is forced to do so – as was the case in the season finale when The Watcher assembled the Guardians of the Multiverse team.
Colin Farrell: Oz/The Penguin and Bullseye
Barely recognizable under layers of makeup and prosthetics, Colin Farrell plays the on-the-up kingpin of Gotham’s criminal underworld Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin in The Batman. Farrell has been praised for his performance in the film and is set to reprise his role in an upcoming spin-off series. Before the conception of the MCU, Farrell also starred as the villain Bullseye in 2003’s Daredevil. The film was critically panned and later rebooted in the Netflix Marvel series.
Barry Keoghan: Unseen Arkham Prisoner/The Joker and Druig
In one of The Batman’s best-kept secrets, Barry Keoghan makes a brief cameo in the film’s final act as a character assumed to be The Joker. Officially listed as Unseen Arkham Prisoner, Barry Keoghan talks to the incapacitated Riddler about forming a friendship before letting out a laugh which is instantly recognizable as Batman’s arch-nemesis. Keoghan appeared in the MCU’s Eternals as Druig. Descended from the Celestial Arishem, Druig has the power to control minds, rallying people either into action or placidity.