Who should be the next Batman in The Brave and the Bold? James Gunn and Peter Safran, the bosses at DC Studios, have finally unveiled their first slate of new films and TV shows to rebuild the DC universe.
The DCU slate is called Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, and it promises to be a more coordinated shared universe (similar to the MCU) of DC movies and TV series. So far, Gunn’s announced a new Superman movie, titled Superman Legacy, an animated series focusing on the Creature Commandos, and even a horror movie starring Swamp Thing.
Still, the focus of our attention right now is the new Batman movie, The Brave and the Bold. Inspired by Grant Morrison’s iconic Batman run, the superhero movie will focus on Batman getting to know his son Damian when he takes on the mantle of Robin. The question is, who will be the next Batman?
Who should play Batman in The Brave and the Bold?
- Ben Affleck
- Ryan Gosling
- John David Washington
- Jake Gyllenhaal
- Jensen Ackles
Ben Affleck
Gunn’s made no secret that he’s happy for some existing DCEU actors to stay in his DCU. Perhaps Affleck could keep his hands on the cowl, then? There have been plenty of rumours over the years that he’s quit, but he’s rumoured to appear in The Flash movie, so it’s not like he’s hung up his cape just yet.
Ryan Gosling
This is pure wish listing on our part, but it would be nice to see Ryan Gosling bring his charms to a role like Bruce Wayne. He’s around the right age to have a 10-year son, and he’s definitely got the acting chops to play the Dark Knight. The question is would he be happy to tie his wagon to a big multi-entry franchise?
John David Washington
There were rumours a while ago that Washington was going to play the Batman villain Two-Face in an upcoming movie. We say, why not give him the keys to the Batmobile itself?
Washington’s a great actor who got awards recognition for his performance in Blackkklansman, and he proved with the Christopher Nolan movie that he’s no stranger to a stunt or two.
Jake Gyllenhaal
Gyllenhaal’s no stranger to wearing a cape, having previously played the bubble-headed Spider-Man villain Mysterio. Like Gosling, he’s around the right age to play the Caped Crusader, and he could definitely capture the instability at the heart of Bruce’s character.
Gyllenhaal’s actually been linked with the character before (before we knew Robert Pattinson was in The Batman), but honestly, we don’t see him doing it even if offered. He seems too much of a free spirit to join an ongoing franchise.
Jensen Ackles
With Supernatural now far in his rearview mirror, Ackles has been stretching his acting chops these last few years. He joined Amazon Prime’s The Boys playing the Captain America knock-off Soldier Boy and appearing on the drama series Big Sky.
Ackles has the right build for the character, he’s around the right age, and he’s not an a-lister who will overshadow the rest of the cats but still has the experience needed to convey some authority. Oh, and he’s lent his voice to Batman in a few animated movies now.
If you’re excited about this slate of new movies, check out our guides to Aquaman 2 and Peacemaker season to whet your appetite. 2. We’ve also got a list of the most infamous DC villains.