Like Joe Chill in Crime Alley, James Gunn can’t stop gunning down Waynes. Ok, to be more specific, he can’t stop shooting down hypothetical Waynes, by which we mean Batman casting rumors.
That’s right, Gunn’s taken a break from building up the DCU to get back to his new hobby, shutting down bullshit rumors and scoops. This time, he’s denied that Jensen Ackles, of Supernatural and The Boys fame, is in the running to play Batman in the upcoming DC movie The Brave and the Bold.
Gunn was asked by a fan on Twitter about a rumor from The Brave and The Bold News Twitter account that suggested Jensen Ackles, who plays Batman in the DC animated movies, had been cast as the live-action version of the Caped Crusader. Gunn simply replied, “There’s no script yet.[Of course] it’s false.”
The rumor didn’t just claim that Ackles would be playing everyone’s favorite DC character. It also suggested that the film would feature Javon Walton as Damian Wayne, Wolfgang Novogratz as Dick Grayson, and Clancy Brown would be Alfred Pennyworth.
I’ll be honest: of all the DC casting rumors I’ve heard, this one makes a fair amount of sense. Gunn’s been clear he wants his new Batman to be older and more experienced than Superman. Gunn has cast the 30-year-old David Corenswet as Clark Kent in Superman Legacy, and Ackles, at 45, could definitely pull off the grizzled veteran vigilante.
Not only that, Gunn suggested that he wants the live-action cast and animated cast to cross over, and as we say, Ackles is currently playing Batman in the new DC animated movies. Surely this is pitch-perfect casting, then? Well, no. We hate to burst anyone’s balloon, but Ackles is probably a bit too old to play Batman at this point, especially if they want this version of the character to stick around beyond one or two movies.
If you want to know more about Gunn’s new DCU, check out our guide to breaking down what you need to know about Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters. We’ve also got a guide ranking all the DC villains and a list of the best superhero movies.
Sick of superheroes? Why not check out our list of the best movies ever made?