Last week, DC Studios revealed the first movies and TV shows that will be part of "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters," and The Brave and the Bold was among the biggest surprises.
Matt Reeves' The Batman II will be released in theaters in 2025, but the DCU is getting its own Dark Knight in a movie that will introduce the Bat-Family and Damian Wayne in a movie heavily inspired by Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin run. James Gunn recently confirmed this Batman will be older than Superman, so who should play the DCU's Caped Crusader?
Rumour has it DC Studios is looking for someone around 25 to play the Man of Steel, and as Bruce Wayne has a 10-year-old son, we're guessing Batman will be in his mid-30s at the very least. That opens the door to plenty of exciting possibilities when it comes to casting, and we have some exciting - and possibly divisive - ideas to share with you!
Take a closer look at our casting decisions by clicking on the "Next" button below.
7. Taron Egerton
Once a fan favourite choice for Spider-Man and, more recently Wolverine, what if Taron Egerton joins the DCU as Batman instead?
The Kingsman star has proven what an incredible actor he is on the big and small screens, whether we're talking Rocketman or Apple TV+'s Black Bird. Yes, it's another Brit playing donning the cape and cowl, but Christian Bale and Robert Pattinson proved that's no bad thing. Egerton is, without a doubt, a phenomenal talent and could effortlessly do this role justice.
They may hail from the same country, but Pattinson and Egerton are two very different performers. We wouldn't anticipate any real similarities between their portrayals, and the Welshman is someone who stands a chance of giving fans the comic-accurate Batman they've been waiting for in this new DCU.
6. Richard Madden
Richard Madden's MCU role as Ikaris appeared to be a one-and-done based on the events of Eternals, and while that's a real shame, we have an inkling it might lead to DC Studios scooping him up.
There's no denying he has the classic Bruce Wayne look, and that's a jaw we could easily imagine beneath the cowl. More importantly, he's a terrific actor who would give the Caped Crusader a little swagger. Remember, this a hero who is often the smartest man in the room and the kind of person that secretly plots how to beat his fellow Justice League members.
Madden could definitely pull off playing a father at the end of his tether with his son, and Ikaris showed us the sort of darkness and conflicted feelings he could bring to the table for this role.
5. Winston Duke
We're not going to say that Marvel Studios has wasted Winston Duke, but he sure could have been given more to do in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. As entertaining as the actor is as M'Baku, it's time for Duke to step into the spotlight, and Batman would be a great part for him.
Unlike the other actors listed here, he has a history with the Caped Crusader, having lent his voice to the hero in the podcast series Batman Unburied (where he did a fantastic job). We're not going to talk too much about race here because it shouldn't matter, but a Black Bruce Wayne would be awesome to see on screen and a huge opportunity for Duke.
It would also give a young Black or mixed-race actor the opportunity to put their stamp on Robin. Still not convinced? Check out Duke's jaw-dropping work in Nine Days and get back to us.
4. Jake Gyllenhaal
We run the risk of getting into DCEU territory here, but if DC Studios is looking to cast a Batman who has been protecting Gotham City long enough to have an entire Bat-Family, Jake Gyllenhaal would be a superb pick.
He's only 42 (Affleck was roughly the same age when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was released), but if the plan is for The Brave and the Bold to really play into the fact the hero is now a father...well, we think this works. The DCU is bound to be lighter in tone, and Gyllenhaal is arguably the best pick here to inject some humour into the brooding hero.
Between Spider-Man: Far From Home and Ambulance, we've seen many different sides to the actor these past few years, but Batman could see him deliver his best work yet. Grant Morrison's run was zany and weird, and Gyllenhaal can pull that off.
3. Ben Barnes
We've focused on a lot of big names here, but Ben Barnes - who is by no means a nobody - might be a good choice of actor to play a Batman who doesn't bring any preconceived notions with him. He's impressed in everything from The Punisher to Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities, and a big superhero role feels inevitable.
With the right, slightly more youthful, look for a Bruce Wayne who hasn't necessarily been fighting crime for decades, Barnes' Dark Knight has the potential to be one who would be suitably brutal in one scene and a caring father in the next.
The Batman reminded us that, at his core, this hero is nuts. While we don't want the DCU to repeat that, DC Studios does have to justify him taking a child into battle, and Barnes could be just what they need to make that bizarre father/son dynamic believable in this day and age.
2. Jensen Ackles
After starring in Smallville, Jensen Ackles moved on to Supernatural and remained there for 15 seasons. Now, he's looking to show Hollywood that there's more to him than Dean Winchester.
The Boys went some way in establishing that and it feels like he stands a good chance of putting himself on the map, proving Hollywood has overlooked him for far too long (he was, briefly, considered for Captain America). Ackles has made no secret of the fact he wants to play Batman, and while he's voiced him in live-action, a jump to live-action would work nicely.
This would be one of those fan-pleasing casting decisions, but the DCU needs that. There's really no reason for the DC Studios to only pursue huge A-Listers because, as the DCEU proved, that doesn't always work. We know Ackles has what it takes to play Batman on the big screen and hope Gunn and Safran do as well.
1. Luke Evans
Luke Evans might just be one of the most underrated talents working in Hollywood today, and it's legitimately shocking that he still hasn't joined the Marvel or DC Universe.
The DCU's fresh start might be enough to convince him, though, and a rough around the edges Batman who takes no sh*t might be exactly what the Welshman needs to lend his talents to this genre. As a gruffer version of the vigilante, it would be a blast watching Evans soften up as the story plays out, eventually becoming the caring father Damian so sorely needs.
Looking to the future, picturing him alongside the likes of Superman and Booster Gold is surprisingly easy, and Evans is such a skilled actor that we're confident in saying there are a tonne of facets he could bring to the DCU as its Dark Knight.