Blake Lively has revealed that a fan-favorite Batman pick is her choice to play Bruce Wayne in the new DC Universe, and the actor could make for the perfect version of the Dark Knight. Rumors have been flying around lately about Batman’s future on the big screen. After Ben Affleck played a veteran version of Bruce Wayne in the old DCEU, the character will be recast for James Gunn’s DC Universe. The casting process for the next Bruce Wayne is said to be quite some time away, waiting for Batman’s The Brave and the Bold movie script to be ready.
However, a recent wave of rumors has claimed that DC Studios could be looking at Robert Pattinson’s Batman joining the DCU. As it currently stands, The Batman universe is an Elseworlds franchise, existing separately from the DCU. Previously, Gunn said that Pattinson’s Batman would not cross over, though the director and The Batman franchise creator Matt Reeves were seemingly not as closed to that idea in recent comments. That said, The Brave and the Bold director Andy Muschietti shot down the rumors, and that makes it possible for fan-favorite candidates, including Blake Lively’s, to play Batman in future DC movies.
Blake Lively Has Endorsed A Fan-Favorite DCU Batman Casting
The Marvel Actress Suggests One Of Her Co-Stars For Batman
Blake Lively previously appeared in a DC movie, playing Carol Ferris in Green Lantern. While the movie was far from a hit, she met and got into a relationship with Ryan Reynolds through the DC flick, appearing in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine as Ladypool, a multiverse variant of her husband’s Marvel character. Having a relationship with superhero films, Lively has offered her input about Batman’s DCU recasting, and the actress wants to see a fan-favorite star get the role. After working with Brandon Sklenar in It Ends with Us, Lively thinks the actor is the best choice for Batman.
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Lively even supported fans who have been asking for Sklenar to play the DCU’s Batman. On Instagram (via M00r3C/Reddit), Blake Lively told her co-star that she had seen the Batman chatter about him playing the Dark Knight online and that she volunteered him for the role. Lively also tagged DC Studios’ creative chief James Gunn, commenting on how Gunn knows how to give fans what they want, and Sklenar’s casting as Batman was something people needed. Sklenar had become a fan-favorite Batman choice for months before Lively endorsed him for the role, but her support shines a spotlight on him.
Brandon Sklenar Wants To Play The DCU’s Batman
The Actor Has Made His Desire Known
When Lively suggested Sklenar should play the DCU version of Batman, the It Ends with Us actor replied using a few emojis, including that of a bat. That is not the only time the actor has commented on DC fans’ desire for him to play Bruce Wayne. As noted by Twitter user @LOGAN_BURNS_, the actor previo@LOGAN_BURNS_usly liked comments about Gunn casting him as DC’s new Batman. In May 2024, Sklenar even shared fan art of himself as the DCU’s Batman (via Proof-Watercress-931/Reddit). In the art, the actor wore Batman’s classic blue and gray suit from DC Comics.
While DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn often responds to casting trends online, he has never commented on Sklenar as Batman.
The most recent chapter in the Brandon Sklenar DCU Batman casting saga came from another fan art. As January began, Sklenar commented on his possible Batman casting by using DCU fan art of himself as the Dark Knight yet again. However, the actor took a different path from the one he had before. Instead of sharing a post with no caption as he did in the past, the actor commented on fan art of him as Batman, saying, “I approve.” While DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn often responds to casting trends online, he has never commented on Sklenar as Batman.
Brandon Sklenar Could Pull Off Both Sides Of The Dark Knight
The Talented Actor Has Showcased His Bruce Wayne & Batman Qualities
Brandon Sklenar has become a fan-favorite casting choice for the DCU’s Batman, but that does not mean that the actor is a popular name among the general audience. While he has been acting in movies and TV shows since the early 2010s, Sklenar only started to build a name for himself in recent years. On the movie side, his biggest success came in It Ends with Us. The actor portrays Atlas, the childhood boyfriend of Blake Lively’s Lily Bloom, who comes back years later and tries to protect her from an abusive relationship.
The book adaptation allowed Sklenar to show that he can play charismatic and easy-to-root-for characters. The actor’s talents would be good for Bruce Wayne’s playboy billionaire side. Following that film, Sklenar will star in 2025’s The Housemaid, which features leading stars Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried. On TV, Sklenar has shown his skills in a number of Western-focused projects and roles, such as Westworld, Walker: Independence, and the Yellowstone spinoff that serves as his most Batman-like performance to date. Sklenar plays Spencer Dutton in 1923, an ongoing Yellowstone spinoff series from the mind of prolific creator Taylor Sheridan.
Sklenar’s Spencer Dutton shares the spotlight in 1923 with Helen Mirren’s Cara Dutton and Harrison Ford’s Jacob Dutton. Besides starring in many of the show’s most impressive scenes, which is a major feat when such actors are your co-stars, Sklenar’s character is at times quite reminiscent of Batman. While he kills, unlike the DC hero, Spencer has the same sense of honor and ability to strike fear into his enemies that Batman possesses. In 1923, Sklenar shows he can do great in Batman’s fight scenes and scare tactics, as Spencer is an intimidating figure, which the clip above showcases.
Brandon Sklenar Would Be The Perfect Age For The DCU’s Batman
James Gunn Has A Clear Vision For Batman’s Story
Another important point in favor of Brandon Sklenar’s DCU Batman casting is his age. The actor is 34, making him three years older than Superman star David Corenswet, who is 31. This matches what James Gunn previously said about Batman possibly being a few years older than Superman in the new DC Universe. Having actors close in age for the DCU’s biggest heroes is probably the best way to go, and Sklenar is at the perfect age that he could be close to Corenswet’s Clark Kent while also appropriate for the DCU Batman’s story.
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Upcoming Batman Movies |
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|---|---|
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Movie |
Release Date |
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The Batman – Part II |
October 1, 2027 |
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The Brave and the Bold |
TBD |
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The Batman 3 |
TBD |
After The Batman – Part II was delayed to 2027, The Brave and the Bold director Andy Muschietti said his movie was postponed, making it so two Batman films do not release close to one another. This could mean a 2028 release for the new Batman film. By that point, Sklenar would be nearing 40, which fits the DCU’s Batman. Since Bruce Wayne will be the father to the young Damian and lead the Bat-Family in the DCU, it makes sense that he is a little older when he debuts than Corenswet’s Superman this year, making the actor the perfect Batman.
The Brave and the Bold will introduce audiences to a new Batman in the DC Universe, focusing on the unique dynamic between the Dark Knight and his son, Damian Wayne, who takes on the mantle of Robin. This film marks yet another reboot for the iconic vigilante superhero.
