Antony Starr Backs Jensen Ackles for James Gunn’s DCU, Sparking Fan Casting Buzz

Let's talk about DC's next Batman problem—a hot topic that never gets old. With the new DC Universe under the watch of James Gunn and Peter Safran, everyone wants to know: who’s going to wear the cape this time? While Robert Pattinson is still brooding away in his own alternate-universe Bat-franchise (yes, The Batman Part II is officially set for 2027, still on its own timeline), the mainline DCU is stuck at the starting line waiting for The Brave and the Bold. That’s the movie that’s supposed to introduce us to yet another Bruce Wayne—and, for the first time on the big screen, his assassin-raised son Damian. If that sounds like a lot, it is.

With Gunn's plans hinting at a Batman who’ll stick around for a full Justice League run, the stakes are high. Fans are theorizing, bookies are making odds—I imagine staff meetings at DC Studios are 50% Batman debates at this point.

Who's Actually Being Considered? (Or At Least, Fan-Cast Like Crazy)

At this point, the internet has honed in on a few names. You’ve probably heard them all:

• Alan Ritchson ('Reacher') - All muscle, some jokes about him being built like a tank.
• Jake Gyllenhaal ('Brokeback Mountain') - The guy everyone wanted as Batman back in the '00s, still in the mix.
• Jonathan Bailey ('Wicked') - Your left-field theater-guy pick.
• And then there’s Jensen Ackles. If you watched 'Supernatural' for 73 years (like most of us did), you know the man can pull off the whole tortured/vigilante/occasionally sarcastic thing.

To be honest, Ackles might be the most popular among this list, at least in the noisier corners of the internet. Plus, it’s not just random fans putting his name forward—he’s got in-house support.

Jensen Ackles: Dark Horse or Obvious Choice?

Here’s the latest bit of interesting industry cross-pollination: Antony Starr—who you know as the increasingly unhinged and terrifying Homelander from 'The Boys'—has gone on record hyping up Ackles for Batman. During an interview with MovieWeb (which was supposed to be about 'The Boys', but you know how these things go), Starr heard the Ackles-as-Batman suggestion and doubled down:

'100%'

That's how sure Starr is. Not a long-winded quote, but sometimes that's all you need—blunt endorsement from a fellow cape-wearer.

Ackles Already Has the Bat-Resume

Ackles isn't just a Supernatural guy with biceps. Not everyone knows this, but he’s already voiced Batman. A lot. He was the gruff voice behind Bruce Wayne in the two-part animated adaptation of 'Batman: The Long Halloween' (2021) and more recently in 'Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths' (2024). If WB is looking for someone who's already got the voice and vibe down, well, this almost seems too obvious.

On the live-action front, Ackles has more than enough action experience—shotguns, fistfights, double lives—with 'Supernatural' and also as Soldier Boy (yes, still Kripke, just more profane) in 'The Boys'. He’s even said before that he’d be proud to wear the Bat-suit in live action, which frankly puts him ahead of several people who tap-dance around superhero questions.

What’s Actually Happening with DCU Batman Right Now?

Here’s the fun part: despite all these headlines and wish lists, James Gunn hasn’t posted, confirmed, or even vaguely hinted about who’s getting the Batman job. At all. He’s got his hands full picking through the endless pile of fancasts online (who knew millions of people had casting advice, right?) and, as of this week, there’s not even a concrete timeline for The Brave and the Bold to hit theaters.

So, bottom line: if you want to know who DC’s new Batman will officially be, you’re going to have to be patient. My guess? By the time the news finally drops, fans will have already written entire screenplays for all four A-list candidates.