The Brave and The Bold gets major updates about the casting search for the leading hero in the DC Universe from James Gunn. One of the many projects that was revealed in January 2023 for the DCU’s Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters” was the next cinematic take on the Dark Knight, as DC Studios is working on introducing the iconic hero in Gunn’s superhero reboot.
While Robert Pattinson’s The Batman universe will remain an Elseworlds property, the main film continuity will tackle a more established iteration of the Gotham City crimefighter, with an active Bat-Family part of his mythology too. One of the biggest aspects of the upcoming reboot is who will end up starring as Bruce Wayne for DC Studios, alongside the other Justice League characters.
During a new interview with The Ringer-Verse, Gunn was asked about what the state currently is for finding the next star to don the Batsuit in the DCU. Without revealing names, the DC Studios co-CEO revealed that he definitely has actors in mind for the role, while sharing the following:
James Gunn: Do I have ideas about actors to play Batman? Absolutely, I do. I have guys I like. I have guys that are at the top of the list, just like I had people that were at the top of the list for Superman. But let me tell you something, they aren’t David Corenswet, right? They didn’t get the job. People can guess, and maybe they’ll be right about certain things. I don’t know. I don’t know what you’re talking about specifically. [It’s] totally up in the air.
We’d have to screen test, we’d have to do the whole thing. It’s unlikely that I’m going to hire someone that’s [like] Sylvester Stallone as Batman [where] we’re just hiring him. It’s unlikely that Batman’s going to be one of those guys. But it’s possible! I know one actor in particular who’s a pretty big star that wants to be Batman. We’ve talked about it, but I’m not sure that’s the case.
Following several updates on the script over the last couple of months, he also gave the latest status on the screenplay. While not revealing the screenwriter, he ᴀssured that it’s still being written, while also giving his impressions of it so far:
James Gunn: The script isn’t done, I mean, we’ve got somebody writing a script, I think it’s really good. But it isn’t finished yet.
What James Gunn’s Batman Comments Mean
Even though the script is still being worked on, it’s clear from Gunn’s newest comments that the Caped Crusader remains one of the biggest priorities for the franchise. While an actual casting may not have happened yet, it’s still crucial to know that the DCU timeline is actively looking into who may portray him.
It wouldn’t be shocking if the mystery star he had conversations with about Batman was Alan Ritchson, as the Reacher star recently opened up about having had talks with the DC Studios boss about the gig. But there is also the chance that there are other major names that he could have been referring to in the latest interview.
Our Take On James Gunn’s Batman Comments
Given how major Batman is, it’s exciting to hear that DC Studios could be getting closer to finally having its lead star in The Brave and The Bold movie. Obviously, once the script is completed, that will open the door more properly for the casting search, but at least there are stars they have in mind.
With this being one of Hollywood’s biggest roles of all time, many actors are bound to be trying out for the part, as they would potentially play the icon for many years to come. Hopefully, more exciting updates about The Brave and The Bold will arrive before 2025 is over.
