There are quite a few names thrown around when fans are asked who should play the Caped Crusader in the DCU. Jake Gyllenhaal, Armie Hammer, Ben Barnes, Ben Barnes, and Alan Ritchson are some big ones, arguably the most commonly thrown around name is Brandon Sklenar. Known for his roles in Midway, The Offer, Green and Gold, It Ends With US, and 1923, Sklenar isn't quite a household name yet, but he's definitely known among Batman and DC fans.
In a new interview with ScreenRant's Andy Behbakht, Sklenar is well aware of how popular a choice he is among fans to play Bruce Wayne, and he is one hundred percent on board with the idea.
“I mean, for Batman? Let's keep running with that! That's something I've wanted to do since I was a little kid -- and I've never even talked about it -- It just started happening and I was like, ‘This is cool!’ And now, maybe, hopefully, it happens one day.”
Like many superhero fans, it seems as if playing the Dark Knight has been a dream of Sklenar's since he was a child.
The more interesting part of the interview was when Sklenar seemed to hint that DC Studios, maybe even James Gunn himself, have reached out to him about playing Batman. When the interviewer said, “Has anyone…” then made a phone call gesture with his hand, Sklenar indicated someone has indeed called.
“Yeah. I think there's some awareness of me on some level, probably. But yeah, I know they're a ways away from doing that. But yeah, obviously, the little kid in me, and the adult me is, like, "This is cool!" And I have a bunch of ideas. Anyway, it'd be cool.”
Clearly, it's all being held under lock and key, but his answer of “yeah” does seem to indicate that someone at DC has called him to at least chat about how he's so frequently fancast as Batman.
However, Sklenar is also right when he says DC is a long way from casting Batman. As to not conflict with Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part II, Andy Muschietti's The Brave and the Bold, the DCU's first movie about Batman that will include his son Damian Wayne as Robin, will not be releasing until 2028 at the earliest. The DCU will be in full swing by that point with Superman, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Lanterns, Clayface, and more already being released.
Alan Ritchson is another common fancast for Batman that has also been very vocal about his desire to play Batman. He's made several comments about it, but, in his most recent comments, he even teased what his Batman voice might sound like.
"What's amazing to me about this rumor of the Batman or the Batman desire and the zeitgeist is the fact that James Gunn has personally announced publicly on his Twitter or X or whatever, 'LOL, he's not playing Batman. He is not playing Batman!' And this thing will not die. I get asked every day if I'm playing Batman. Yeah, would I play Batman? Yes. Would I pay handsomely to be Batman? You wouldn't even have to pay me to be Batman. I would, yeah, I would don the suit. 'Gotham is mine.' Look at that. I don't even have to practice. It just comes out naturally.”
What do you think about Brandon Sklenar as Batman? Who's better for the role, Ritchson or Sklenar? Let us know in the comments!