Despite all the rumors and the fan castings, after two movies and three TV shows, James Gunn has yet to announce the DCU’s Batman. Even though the studio is hard at work on The Brave and the Bold, which was announced a few years ago now, the project remains shrouded in mystery. Of course, none of that has stopped more than a handful of actors from placing their hat in the ring, including fan-favourite Jensen Ackles.
For now, Robert Pattinson is still doing his thing as Bruce Wayne in Matt Reeves’ upcoming The Batman – Part II, set for 2027. But that version of the character is locked into its own world. In the meantime, the search for the DCU’s Caped Crusader continues. Names like Alan Ritchson, Glenn Powell, Scott Adkins, Jonathan Bailey and Brandon Sklenar have shown up online. But it’s Ackles who seems to have the most favor, especially since he has a long history with the character in animation (in Batman: The Long Halloween (2021) and again in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths (2024).
48-year-old Ackles is certainly not getting any younger. Still, his role in The Boys as Soldier Boy has proven that he has what it takes to play the DC superhero. And his co-star Antony Starr, who plays Homelander, agrees.
During a recent interview with Joseph Deckelmeier, Starr didn’t hesitate to agree that Ackles should be Batman: “That’s a good idea. I saw something about that. I’d watch that too.”
Jensen smiled awkwardly, pointed at the interviewer and nodded.
“Dude, he should be Batman,” Deckelmeier suggested again.
“100%,” Starr agreed.
And while it was all meant for laughs, there’s a serious tone underneath it all. Has Gunn spoken to Ackles? Does he know something we don’t know?
For now, all we can do is speculate and hope that Gunn has considered him for the part, or any other character in the DCU, really.
Jensen Ackles keeps rising to the top of these DCU Batman lists. Not because fans are bored. But because the pieces already actually fit.
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