Andy Muschietti’s Cryptic Response to DCU Batman Fan Castings Fuels Frenzy
Director Andy Muschietti raised eyebrows with his response to fan castings for Batman in The Brave and the Bold, the Dark Knight’s first outing in James Gunn’s rebooted DCU—still without a release date.
Ok, here we go again: people online are practically falling over themselves trying to cast the new Batman for the DCU, and the future director sounds... amused?… bemused?... not totally shut off to the discussion, at least. So, if you’ve been busy making up Photoshop mockups of random actors with the cowl, just know that your work might actually be getting a passing glance from the folks in charge, though it doesn’t mean it matters all that much.
Muschietti Weighs In—Sort Of
Andy Muschietti (who previously did The Flash, for better or worse) is locked in to direct The Brave and the Bold, which is our next shot at seeing a new Batman in James Gunn’s shiny rebooted DC universe. When Cinemablend sat down with Andy and his producing partner/sister Barbara Muschietti, the predictable question came up: do they actually pay attention to all the internet chatter about who should play Batman?
Andy didn't exactly seem obsessed by the fan suggestions, but he admits he keeps tabs:
When the interviewer implied that Andy is 'keeping an eye on it,' he basically agreed—but don’t get delusions of grandeur about your petition signatures. Barbara Muschietti jumped in to clarify that, as much as they love the fandom, casting is still their call. As she put it: the director and producer get to decide who puts on the Bat-suit at the end of the day.
The Internet’s Favorite Batman Candidates (So Far)
Since The Brave and the Bold was announced, people online have run wild with fan-casting dreams. The names you’ll see most often dropped into Twitter threads and Reddit polls:
- Brandon Sklenar
- Alan Ritchson
- Jonathan Bailey
- Jensen Ackles
- Paul Anthony Kelly (yeah, from Love Story—didn’t see that one coming)
Gunn Has His Own Favorites (But He’s Not Saying)
It’s not just the siblings weighing in—James Gunn himself has been cryptic about who will be under the cowl. Back in September 2025, he said in an interview that he definitely has names in mind for Batman. He even admitted that there’s 'a pretty big star' who wants the gig, and that they’d had discussions, but he was careful to say nothing was confirmed. Very Gunn—always with the teasing.
Where Does That Leave Us?
To sum it up: all the fancasting is on Muschietti’s radar, and Gunn probably spends more time thinking about this than he’d like to pretend. But don’t expect some viral hashtag to force their casting hand. They know we care, but ultimately, they’re picking their Batman for the rebooted DCU—whether that means an Internet favorite or a left-field choice that no one has tweeted about yet.
And in classic superhero-movie-fashion, there’s still no real release date in sight for The Brave and the Bold. So, for now, speculate away—just know the boss is watching (kind of), and your dream Batman is still very much up in the air.