With his return as Soldier Boy in The Boys already generating buzz, Jensen Ackles has revealed he’s very much open to donning the cape and cowl as Batman in James Gunn’s upcoming The Brave and the Bold.
In a recent interview with Collider, the 47-year-old actor didn’t shy away from expressing interest in the iconic role, while acknowledging the huge challenge of making it his own.
“It would be hard to carve out something truly unique amongst all of the performances as Batman,” Ackles admitted.
“I would probably have to lean heavily on Gunn and whoever’s directing and whoever’s writing it, and get inspiration from the text.”
While he’s no stranger to comic book roles — voicing Batman in several animated DC projects and playing the gritty anti-hero Soldier Boy — Ackles said the pressure of playing the Dark Knight in live-action would be enormous.
“You talk about not wanting to fumble the football — that’s one that I would be nervous as hell to carry. But also proud. A certain feather in the cap. Anybody who gets to wear the cowl, they got something.”
When told by Collider that they were rooting for him to land the role, Ackles smiled and replied:
“I’ll cross ’em, too. Just say the word!”
The Search for the New Batman
Ackles’ comments come amid James Gunn and Peter Safran’s ongoing search for a new Batman to headline The Brave and the Bold, which will mark the Caped Crusader’s formal entry into the main DC Universe (DCU).
Although Robert Pattinson continues his own separate Batman journey under director Matt Reeves — with The Batman: Part II slated for 2027 — Gunn has made it clear Pattinson’s version will remain an Elseworlds project, separate from the central DCU storyline.
“The actor doesn’t exist yet,” Gunn told Variety, when asked if Pattinson could take on the DCU role.
“Have we ever talked about Robert Pattinson? Yeah. We’ve talked about all those things. But serious conversations? No.”
What to Expect in The Brave and the Bold
The upcoming film will be directed by The Flash’s Andy Muschietti and is expected to focus on the complex father-son relationship between Bruce Wayne and Robin, specifically Damian Wayne, his biological son.
While casting is still wide open, Ackles now joins the list of high-profile names fans would love to see as the next Batman — a list that keeps growing by the day.
