With James Gunn’s DCU reboot underway, fans are eager to know who will be playing the latest incarnation of the world’s greatest detective. Some names have already been thrown into the mix, including more than a few Marvel actors who we’d like to see don the cape and cowl.
The topic of who should play Gunn’s Batman was brought up in the r/DCCinematic subreddit, where users shared their thoughts on the best picks for the role. One name that got a lot of support was Marvel actor Lee Pace, who played the fearsome villain Ronan in the 2014 Marvel blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy.
The common consensus surrounding Pace was that he would give Kevin Conroy vibes. For any fans of Batman: The Animated Series, this would be music to their ears. Of course, the actor already has a great shot at the role due to him having already worked with James Gunn on Guardians. So not only is he a great choice, but a very realistic one too. Rumors have suggested that he could very likely have a role in in Gunn’s DCU.
Although not all fans were as excited at the prospect of Lee Pace taking on the role. The main complaint against him being that he would be too old for the role, being 43 right now. Although, as far as flaws go, that’s a relatively minor worry if everything else checks out.
Another popular pick is Ben Barnes, known by most Marvel fans as the villain Jigsaw in Netflix’s The Punisher series. He also played Prince Caspian in The Chronicles of Narnia, if you thought you recognized him from elsewhere. It’s agreed that Barnes certainly has the look and he has shown that he can play a gritty and dark character, as well as a heroic one.
Although Barnes will have the same problem as Pace, as he is only 2 years younger than him. In simpler terms, he will be in his mid forties by the time the film finally gets made. Then again, he does have the benefit of looking young for his age, so he might be able to get away with it.
A few honorable mentions from the thread include Jon Hamm and Michael Fassbender, while some are still holding onto the hope that Ben Affleck will be kept on as the Dark Knight. Although there’s not much hope for seeing any of these actors take on the role, especially considering the fact that all of them are older than Lee and Ben. With that said, their chances aren’t great.
If Gunn is serious about having a younger Batman/Bruce Wayne in the DCU, he may not go with any of the fan predictions and instead opt for a more unknown actor. But who knows? That might be the best direction to go if you want a fresh start.