Jensen Ackles’ casting as the DC Universe version of Batman has seen its chances increase after new updates on the state of the franchise and the Dark Knight’s role in it. The DCU’s Chapter One started with the animated Creature Commandos, with James Gunn’s Superman movie set to continue it in a big way come July. However, there is still no set time for when Batman will arrive, even though the hero already has a movie set to debut, which is more than the other member of DC’s Trinity, Wonder Woman, has right now.

Batman’s The Brave and the Bold movie is currently set to be directed by The Flash‘s Andy Muschietti, though that could change after Gunn shows him the film’s script if he does not connect to the story DC is developing. With uncertainty surrounding Batman’s DCU future, a few actors have emerged as the fan-favorites for the role. That list has added a few names along the way, with stars like Reacher‘s Alan Ritchson and 1923‘s Brandon Sklenar considered popular choices. However, Jensen Ackles has always been at the forefront of the conversation, and he has more of a chance now.

Robert Pattinson Will Not Be The DCU’s Batman

The Batman Franchise Is Still Moving Forward

The live-action Batman movies from DC have faced a few delays and uncertainty over the past year. The Batman director Matt Reeves still has to deliver the script for Robert Pattinson’s sequel as the Dark Knight. The Batman – Part II was originally set to be released this year before being delayed to 2026, and then another time to its now October 1, 2027, release date. Due to the many delays and the lack of any discernible movement on the DCU’s The Brave and the Bold, rumors started to fly around about how DC could be merging both franchises.

While James Gunn and Reeves have commented on the matter multiple times in the past, the definitive answer to the Batman situation came recently. At an event attended by ScreenRant where Gunn and his DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran shared updates on the studio’s slate of projects, the executives were adamant about how Robert Pattinson would not play the DCU’s Batman. The plan continues to be for Reeves to develop his The Batman trilogy and the rest of his Gotham City universe, which includes HBO’s award-winning The Penguin series, and will potentially add more shows.

Gunn was blunt about Pattinson’s chances of becoming the DCU Batman, saying, “It’s certainly not the plan.” Safran added, commenting on how the duo loved Pattinson’s take on Bruce Wayne, but how it is imperative and the plan for The Brave and the Bold to introduce a new Batman to the DCU. While Matt Reeves still has to turn in a script for The Batman – Part II, the DC Studios co-CEOs have already read some of the story for the next film in the trilogy, and they say it is “very encouraging,” trusting Reeves’ vision for Batman.

The Brave And The Bold’s Story Remains Unchanged Amid DCU Tweaks

The New Batman Franchise Is Shaping Up Nicely

At the DC event, Gunn and Safran revealed that the DCU has been having some issues with a few projects during the development phase. The Authority is a movie that has been put on the backburner, with the TV shows Waller and Booster Gold also facing problems. The concept and stories for certain projects have changed based on which characters DC Studios has been bringing to life in Superman, Peacemaker, and more. However, despite not having a set release date, Batman’s The Brave and the Bold movie is one of the projects to remain unchanged.

When The Brave and the Bold was announced, DC revealed that the focus of the movie would be on Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian. Gunn has said that he loves Batman, so he is working closely with the secret writer of his upcoming DCU movie to bring the Dark Knight to life. Batman is unaware that he has a son at first in the movie, similar to how Damian’s origin plays out in the comics. While many DCU movies and series have received tweaks since they were announced, The Brave and the Bold‘s core story seems set in stone.

Jensen Ackles Is The Perfect Choice For An Older Batman

The DCU Is Bringing A Popular Team From The Comics To Life

With The Brave and the Bold‘s story not changing and Robert Pattinson confirmed not to join Gunn’s DC Universe, Jensen Ackles’ chances of playing the DCU’s Batman have gone up. The upcoming Batman movie is confirmed to feature other Bat-Family members from the comics other than Damian Wayne. Since the DCU’s version of Robin is only the fourth male one in the comics, this means the DCU could have a full-fledged Bat-Family. As such, casting an older Batman would make sense. At 46, Ackles would be believable as the leader of the Bat-Family.

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Ackles has more than enough live-action experience to play such an iconic hero as Batman. Over 15 seasons of Supernatural, one of the most successful series of all time, Ackles played Dean Winchester, a hero who comes from a dark and tragic childhood but uses that anger to save others. That is pure Batman material. Ackles also has experience in superhero projects. The actor’s Soldier Boy quickly became one of the most popular characters in The Boys, Prime Video’s superhero satire series that took the world by storm after it premiered. Ackles can deliver gripping action sequences and intense acting.

Ackles’ Animated Batman Experience Makes Him The Best Fit For The DCU’s Needs

The Actor Has Already Played Batman

One of the most interesting aspects of James Gunn’s DC Universe is how actors will play their characters across different mediums, which include live-action projects, animated movies and series, video games, and potentially more. Thanks to his background in animation, Ackles becomes an even better choice to lead The Brave and the Bold as Batman. The reason for that is simple — the actor has years of experience voicing Batman in DC’s animated Tomorrowverse continuity. That included two Batman: The Long Halloween solo films, as well as a few Justice League movies and more.

In the Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths trilogy, Ackles’ Batman interacted with the Bat-Family. As such, he already has experience not only as the Dark Knight, but with the very setup for the character in the DCU. Since the goal for the franchise is to have animated movies and series released every year, as well as how Gunn and Safran revealed at the DC event that Batman could debut before The Brave and the Bold, what better way than to do so in animation with a veteran from the medium as Batman? Ackles is perfect for the DCU’s Batman.

Upcoming DC Movie Releases

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  The Batman Part II

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  October 1, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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