Brave and the Bold Casting Thread

[SwordOfMorning]

As long as it doesn't rule out Lee Pace I'm okay with it Plus to be fair I'm yet to shed any tears for the names that a 10 year commitment rules out. Even Gyllenhaal would probably do it since he's made his career purely of being in action schlock as of late and he said his dream was to play Batman, so if the names that this rules out are Gosling and Hartnett I'm okay with that lol.

I don't know why Jake picks the movies he does. It makes me so sad.

I really think he came close on The Batman. The heavy rumours and the way he responded when asked about it makes me think something was up, my guess would be there was a hot second it was gonna be a soft reboot where he'd have been slotting in more directly for Affleck.

Doubt the commitment would rule out Hartnett, he seems due to for a resurgence but he's never gonna be a massive movie star and is a bit later in his career.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

As long as it doesn't rule out Lee Pace I'm okay with it Plus to be fair I'm yet to shed any tears for the names that a 10 year commitment rules out. Even Gyllenhaal would probably do it since he's made his career purely of being in action schlock as of late and he said his dream was to play Batman, so if the names that this rules out are Gosling and Hartnett I'm okay with that lol.

I don’t know why but the constant posts and your obsession with Lee Pace makes me really dislike him for the role even more. I’m sorry lol I know that’s mean. Sorry!!! Can’t help it.

To me (I’ve seen Halt and Catch Firecracker The Fall, GOTG, and a few other things he’s been in) he doesn’t look like Batman at all. He has these big eyebrows that just don’t give a Wayne vibe. Yeah you can find a pic from the comics that supports him looking like Wayne but you post his pics all the time and I don’t see it like at all.. he doesn’t have the darkness behind his eyes.

Uh yeah he is tall and in shape and white and has a deep voice. But that’s it. He looks nothing like I’d want Batman to look like and he doesn’t have the leading man charisma or Star power that Pattinson or Bale had.

I really hope he doesn’t get it, it would be the biggest step down from the likes of Keaton, Bale, or Pattinson.

These are elite actors. Pace has been on the scene for a long time now and the big movie Star leading man thing HASN'T HAPPENED FOR A REASON. He doesn’t have the rizz.

It’s just there’s just an element to him that is not as magnetic as other leading men like Bale , Pattinson or Keaton. There’s a reason Pace isn’t booking lead roles in huge movies and it’s his lack of charisma and the X factor. He doesn’t have it but he is a great supporting actor.

I think he has skill for sure and I’d love him in the DCU but as a supporting character or villain only . Not Batman. No ****ing way. It’s kind of a **** idea that feels like it’s gained so much traction solely because of the Gunn connection. Lazy

 

[flickchick85]

Lee Pace >>>> Josh Hartnett all day any day and twice on Sunday. I ain’t even against Hartnett, but that’s the truth.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

Complete disagree. Hartnett had genuine charisma and shunned the spotlight when he was picked by Hollywood to be the It boy in the early 00s. Pace never had that opportunity because he just doesn’t have the X factor that makes someone a true star vs being a simply good actor. Pace is not a lead actor in major roles for a reason. He is a good actor but he doesn’t have the X factor that makes someone a star.They’re two different things. We’ve had really strong actors in this role and I’m sorry but going from Pattinson to Pace is a HUGE downgrade.

Same goes for Ackles, Cullen, Bateman, and Cohen.

The only guys that fit the role and have the same level of charisma and elite acting ability are Gosling and Gyllenhaal

Pace is a genuinely good actor and I’d like him in the DCU but Batman is not the role for him. We need someone that won’t feel like such a downgrade from established and respected leads like Keaton, Bale, Pattinson.

Id be on board if I could imagine Pace in the suit, but his appearance is just SO NOT BATMAN. Like how the **** could someone look at this man and see Batman?… his face just doesn’t fit the part.

Seriously wtf do people see in him from a visual perspective? His face is not right for this role. He is a good looking guy but just doesn’t have the right look at all.



No.

Really not seeing it. At all. There’s no intensity behind the eyes.

Gosling or Gyllenhaal are my guys.



Way better choices IMO, I really do not get the Pace fascination. It’s gotta be the Gunn connection. Or your image of what Batman should look like is just diametrically different from mine. It’s all about the eyes for me, you can have lighter hair like Kilmer or Pattinson but they had an intensity in their eyes that Pace does not have.

Gosling and Gyllenhaal have it but Pace just looks too soft and nice even though he’s in shape and tall. Not intimidating in the slightest, he looks like he’d be fun to hang with.

Pace has been a lead in a few things here and there but nothing that has been major enough to solidify him as a star or give him name recognition beyond movie nerds. Gosling and Gyllenhaal are established leads in major films, with deserved star power, charisma and a genuine intensity in their eyes. Pace lacks all of these but he’s in more of a need of a career boost than the other two. Pace has been in the game a long time and hasn’t broken through yet because he just doesn’t have the charisma. Gosling and Gyllenhaal likely wouldn’t want to commit though and Pace likely would. Regardless, we can do a lot better than Pace but we can also do a lot worse.

 

[NEXUS 6]

Can I ask a genuine, good-faith question of the Lee Pace advocates? I’m personally not 100% on him for the role (slightly hit or miss for me as an actor), but accepting for the sake of argument that he is the perfect Batman wouldn’t it be preferable to see him play an openly gay Batman-analogue in Midnighter? I’m not trying to suggest that gay actors should be relegated to gay roles (or vice versa), but I sort of feel like there’s something special about a gay actor who’s a close-to-perfect Batman candidate getting to popularize an iconic gay character.

I hope I’m articulating that okay and that the framing doesn’t offend… to illustrate the point further, I’m glad that Chadwick was cast as Black Panther instead of Drax, and think you could get an even more potent commentary out of the similarities between Batman and Midnighter.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

I’m all for a gay actor playing Batman (my favorite Batman actor ever was gay). I just don’t think Pace would be a good Batman. His look is terrible for it!

He’d be a decent Midnighter. I don’t care about the Authority though tbh. I think it’s a mistake to give them their own movie so early into this new DCU.

 

[Invader Joker]

These are elite actors. Pace has been on the scene for a long time now and the big movie Star leading man thing HASN'T HAPPENED FOR A REASON. He doesn’t have the rizz.

It’s just there’s just an element to him that is not as magnetic as other leading men like Bale , Pattinson or Keaton. There’s a reason Pace isn’t booking lead roles in huge movies and it’s his lack of charisma and the X factor. He doesn’t have it but he is a great supporting actor.

Complete disagree. Hartnett had genuine charisma and shunned the spotlight when he was picked by Hollywood to be the It boy in the early 00s. Pace never had that opportunity because he just doesn’t have the X factor that makes someone a true star vs being a simply good actor. Pace is not a lead actor in major roles for a reason. He is a good actor but he doesn’t have the X factor that makes someone a star.They’re two different things. We’ve had really strong actors in this role and I’m sorry but going from Pattinson to Pace is a HUGE downgrade.

Considering the history of homophobia in Hollywood and how LGBT actors for decades have been sidelined, blacklisted and overall not given as many opportunities especially as leading men compared to straight actors, saying the reason Lee Pace hasn't gotten as many opportunities is because his "lack of charisma" (which is completely wrong, by the way) seems straight-up ignorant to me, especially considering how his career was on a steady upwards trajectory (Getting an emmy nomination at 29 followied by him working with Spielberg, then with Peter Jackson, and then in the MCU) up until the point in which he came out as gay. Now, that may very well be a coincidence, but honestly knowing how the business worked even until very recently it probably wasn't.

Kevin Conroy wrote a comic about it. Things are better now but do you really think that type of discrimination has disappeared entirely?

Really not seeing it. At all. There’s no intensity behind the eyes.

Well no surprise there wouldn't be "intensity behind the eyes" in those images. You literally showed two images where he's just casually laughing at red carpets.

If you truly did watch Halt and Catch Fire, Foundation and The Falll this argument is the most perplexing to me because the intensity of his eyes is one of the reasons to cast him. He can 100% play intense and tortured absolutely no problem, you can see it in his eyes.

I mean, it's fine if you don't like him, but saying he doesn't have intensity behind his eyes is just straight up wrong when if anything they're one of his biggest strengths as an actor and have been since The Fall.

We’ve had really strong actors in this role and I’m sorry but going from Pattinson to Pace is a HUGE downgrade.

Same goes for Ackles, Cullen, Bateman, and Cohen.

The only guys that fit the role and have the same level of charisma and elite acting ability are Gosling and Gyllenhaal

You're waaaay too obsessed with star-power IMO What matters the most is whether a specific actor is the best choice for a specific part. If Leonardo Dicaprio came down to the WB lot and told Gunn "cast me as Batman" what Gunn should say is "**** no" because he doesn't fit the part. And I like Gyllenhaal, he's my second choice, but it seems like a bit of a trivial thing to rule people over, especially since by that logic Gyllenhaal would quite literally be the only choice because the odds of Gosling happening are practically non-existant.

Gosling and Gyllenhaal have it but Pace just looks too soft and nice even though he’s in shape and tall. Not intimidating in the slightest, he looks like he’d be fun to hang with.

I'm sorry but I'm just straight-up confused by your "appearance" argument, because that same exact logic can apply more and it's significantly more fitting for Gosling than it'd be for Lee Pace lmao.

I mean... seriously, which incarnation of Batman have you seen that even remotely looks like Gosling? And I know Cohen is not ideal for you either, but which incarnation of Batman have you seen that even remotely looks like him either? Playing the appearance the game over Lee Pace is extremely confusing to me because he literally looks like this:




He's not out of type in any way especially compared to other Batman actors.

If he looked like Matthew Rhys or Jonathan Groff then fine, I could give the argument to you but come on dude. If you don't like him personally that's fine but acting as if he's just so egregiously off what Bruce Wayne's look is, is confusing to me because even if I didn't know anything else about him I could look at him and think "Oh yeah that's Bruce Wayne"

Is it really /that/ hard to imagine this man as an intense brooding playboy CEO that has mentored several orphan children into crime-fighting machines? I don't think it is at all. I mean, at the very least you can say he looks more like Bruce than Michael Keaton and Kilmer did, and about as much as Christian Bale did. He's also not hard to imagine in the cowl /at all/, and we've gone over his physique before as well.


And also, no, it's not the Gunn connection. I've thought Lee was a great pick for Batman ever since I watched Halt and Catch Fire. And I've looked back on the forum on previous fancasting threads and a lot of other people here (like flickchick) have also thought it was well. Every time it was brought up it was well-received. The Gunn connection just makes people like me excited that it may actually happen.

Can I ask a genuine, good-faith question of the Lee Pace advocates? I’m personally not 100% on him for the role (slightly hit or miss for me as an actor), but accepting for the sake of argument that he is the perfect Batman wouldn’t it be preferable to see him play an openly gay Batman-analogue in Midnighter?

No. Having read The Authority comics, Midnighter is a gruff "one beer in one hand, one gun on the other" type of soldier character. He's closer in attitude to something like The Comedian, which is not the type that Lee Pace is at all. You'd need something closer to someone like Jon Bernthal or Jeffrey Dean Morgan for that.

You could make an argument for Apollo but honestly having read the comics I don't think that'd be ideal for him either. Apollo is this mega straight-faced, kinda shallow character that's mostly there to be Midnighter's boyfriend and also a weapon for The Authority, he's probably be more apt for a Tom Brittney-type.

And aside from that, Batman is a way better character than those two, and also a far more exciting pick for Lee.

I know you don't mean bad but I'm also tired of hearing of Apollo or Midnighter in these discussions. It just strikes me as a very specific form of typecasting that does frustrate me a lot since "gay actors can only play gay roles" is in part a line of thinking that has limited the opportunities of a lot of people before. The fact those two roles keep being brought up constantly purely because of Lee's sexuality is kinda tiresome.

 

[Invader Joker]

Oh, I will also dispute this idea that Lee has no "charisma" or "no X factor" or whatever with the fact that, even within the somewhat limited range of things he's been a part of, he often stands out.

Pushing Daisies despite not being watched much at the time garnered quite a cult following that highlights Lee Pace a lot (no wonder he got an Emmy nom for it), he had a small role in those Hobbit movies but garnered an insane passionate fanbase out of it and even Foundation has basically become "Lee Pace: The Show" in response to how good of a reception his presence there got and how even the people that dislike it highlight him as a positive. So spare me the whole "He has no charisma" or "He couldn't get an audience to connect with him" BS when every time he shows up in something the often response from people in comments is "Why isn't he in more stuff?"

He could be as big as Pratt, Evans, Hemsworth, Holland and many other modern "leading men" if he was given the chance to, he just hasn't.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

I’m sorry but I think you and I just have different tastes. He’s an awful choice for it, even though you’ve got people that would be worse (Rosie O’Donnell). He just does not look the part, he looks too soft, his eyes look sad or nice (not intense at all)


Those pictures you posted are horrible in trying to represent him as a good pick. I literally laughed out loud reading your post because I can’t believe someone has such a wildly different view of the character.

Can’t believe you’re arguing that Pace isn’t more famous because he’s gay. But this can’t be proven either way… maybe it is true but I think it’s way more likely his lack of fame and name recognition is entirely merit based. IMO he is not fit to lead major movies because of his lack of charisma NOT his sexuality, that’s why they’re not giving him these roles. He’s been around a long time and just can’t break through to that next level. Why? Because he’s good not great. Batman’s great not good. Thr actor should reflect that.

Gosling and Gyllenhaal are far superior actors and their star power in relation to Pace is based entirely on their abilities. They’re just better actors.


Pace as a pick is only gaining traction because we have a ****ty director attached and the brand is incredibly damaged. So we started looking at C listers like Pace and Ackles. That’s what Pace is. C list. Batman is the greatest superhero of all time. Pace is just not good enough for this role. He doesn’t look right for it and he doesn’t have charisma of a true movie star like Gyllenhaal or Gosling.


Also like Hartnett has been in some big movies? I question anyone’s American film knowledge if they haven’t seen a single movie with him in it. Not trying to be mean here. I just think this is a really bad take, Pace is not a good pick for Batman. No one will be excited for this beyond the movie nerds that know his name.


I believe Pace is a good not great actor. I believe his lack of abilities and charisma are the reasons why nobody knows his name outside of film circles. I am arguing with a person who believes he is an incredible actor who would be a movie star if he weren’t gay. I am just on a different page here and it’s a real convenient way to get out of the argument by blaming his lack of fame on his sexuality instead of his talent or lack thereof. I see where the conversation is heading though. I’ve said my piece. He looks WRONG for the role and he isn’t a good enough actor. I couldn’t care less about his sexuality, it doesn’t have any bearing on the character’s portrayal.

 

[Invader Joker]

Pace as a pick is only gaining traction because we have a ****ty director attached and the brand is incredibly damaged. So we started looking at C listers like Pace and Ackles. That’s what Pace is. C list. Batman is the greatest superhero of all time. Pace is just not good enough for this role. He doesn’t look right for it and he doesn’t have charisma of a true movie star like Gyllenhaal or Gosling.

Pace as Batman has been mentioned here even before Muschietti got confirmed or even rumored. And even plenty of users here have mentioned they'd also personally prefer Lee over those "A-listers" you keep beating the drum over and over and over about.

Also I’m sorry but how vast is your knowledge of film/television when you haven’t seen a Hartnett movie or show? Not saying you can’t have a good understanding of cinema without seeing one of his movies but idk I’ve known who he was since I was a little kid. He’s been around a long time and has been in a lot of stuff. He’s been low profile for a while now but he did some really big movies. Sorry Invader Joker, but I think your view of what makes a good Batman actor is extremely questionable but that’s just my opinion. To look at Pace and think Batman is just baffling to me. Big white dude with a deep voice=/=Batman

By that same token I could look at your fancasting and say that you're only basing it upon "how famous are they and how many oscar noms do they have? OK ideal Batman!" because that's quite literally the only reasons you're boiling it down to Gosling and Gyllenhaal when Gosling doesn't even particularly look like Batman so even by your own logic he fails.

It's okay if you don't agree with Pace as Batman, not everyone has to, and at least we agree on Gyllenhaal being a good pick, but me and plenty of others have explained the reasoning behind the fancast and why we're so behind it, so for you to just dismiss it that way or "it's just because of the Gunn connection" or "it's just because he has a deep voice" or "is just because it now has a bad director" is pretty condescending.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

Pace as Batman has been mentioned here even before Muschietti got confirmed or even rumored. And even plenty of users here have mentioned they'd also personally prefer Lee over those "A-listers" you keep beating the drum over and over and over about.



By that same token I could look at your fancasting and say that you're only basing it upon "how famous are they and how many oscar noms do they have? OK ideal Batman!" because that's quite literally the only reasons you're boiling it down to Gosling and Gyllenhaal when Gosling doesn't even particularly look like Batman so even by your own logic he fails.

It's okay if you don't agree with Pace as Batman, not everyone has to, and at least we agree on Gyllenhaal being a good pick, but me and plenty of others have explained the reasoning behind the fancast and why we're so behind it, so for you to just dismiss it that way or "it's just because of the Gunn connection" or "it's just because he has a deep voice" or "is just because it now has a bad director" is pretty condescending.

I’m trying to rationalize why you would have such an obsession with a really weak fancast and those were the only reasons I could think of. (The Gunn connection and going for a C lister because the movie is going to be directed by a bad director). The other one is that you just have a different opinion from me. I accept that, but I am also able to think your opinion is a really terrible idea and I hope to god it never happens. Yuck! He does not look the part at all. But hey do you. I’m done with this conversation because you want to blame his lack of fame on his sexuality and I blame it on his lack of charisma and his good (not great) acting abilities. I can’t win that argument because it will just devolve into accusations of bigotry. The reality is I don’t give a damn if he is gay, I just think him being cast is a terrible idea.

 

[Snow Queen]

Lee Pace Batman would be one of the few ways to get me remotely interested in an inevitably lesser Batman series. It won't happen, but that casting is aces.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

Yuck! I’m glad you guys aren’t in charge of casting.

Gyllenhaal is the best choice for this, if he wants it the role should be his.

He’s one of very few guys that wouldn’t feel like a massive downgrade from Pattinson (Pace would be a colossal downgrade)

 

[SwordOfMorning]

Lee Pace is so much more interesting on screen than Hartnett and I like Hartnett. Hartnett has way too generic an all American pretty boy look, more Superman than Batman, whereas Pace looks like he could be a total old money vampire. He sure as hell doesn’t look any less like Batman than Keaton did.

He doesn’t look straight off the page but the straight off the page looks of these characters are horribly boring. I think you and the people here who think Pace would work just have completely and utterly fundamentally different perceptions of him as a performer and what is and is not the correct qualities for Batman on screen.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

It’s his eyes, there’s nothing there in terms of intensity. He just looks nice or sad. Not tough or intimidating at all. This guy does not give off even a vaguely tough or badass vibe. I don’t buy him as a crime fighter. I can buy him as a spoiled playboy though.

I think it’s a horrible idea and I’ve stated who I think would be good (Gyllenhaal and Gosling). My opinion is that Pace’s lack of star power is based on his lack of charisma, others have asserted it is due to homophobia in Hollywood. Neither can be quantified or proven by us. Whatever the reason for the lack of recognition is, I still don’t think he’s a good pick because he looks goofy to me. His appearance is all sorts of wrong. But hey we can have different opinions. I’m just not impressed by his acting or his look for it.

I really hope you guys do not get your wish, it would severely limit my enjoyment of the film if he is cast. Especially considering this is presumably going to be the first time we are going to see Robin on film since 97. Robin is my favorite character and if Pace is Batman in this movie, I’m going to be really bummed.

 

[Eddie Dean]

I like Josh Hartnett but that's a very Ben Affleck Batman.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

He’d be better as Harvey Dent or Spectre but I’d like him as Batman too

 

[DarthSkywalker]

It’s his eyes, there’s nothing there in terms of intensity. He just looks nice or sad. Not tough or intimidating at all. This guy does not give off even a vaguely tough or badass vibe. I don’t buy him as a crime fighter. I can buy him as a spoiled playboy though.

I think it’s a horrible idea and I’ve stated who I think would be good (Gyllenhaal and Gosling). My opinion is that Pace’s lack of star power is based on his lack of charisma, others have asserted it is due to homophobia in Hollywood. Neither can be quantified or proven by us. Whatever the reason for the lack of recognition is, I still don’t think he’s a good pick because he looks goofy to me. His appearance is all sorts of wrong. But hey we can have different opinions. I’m just not impressed by his acting or his look for it.

I really hope you guys do not get your wish, it would severely limit my enjoyment of the film if he is cast. Especially considering this is presumably going to be the first time we are going to see Robin on film since 97. Robin is my favorite character and if Pace is Batman in this movie, I’m going to be really bummed.

I really disagree with this. Pace has plenty of intensity and is super charismatic. It's just not dumb brick, sports ball intensity, like Affleck. It's more inline with actual good actors, like Bale and Pattinson bring.

 

[Invader Joker]

The eyes argument is one that I'd actually make for Hartnett. He has a very kind, somewhat sad look to his eyes:

Which mind you, I don't actually mind, since it could work for a Batman that's supposed to be a father, but it just strikes me as bizarre to have Hartnett as a fancast and rule out Lee Pace based on his "nice and sad eyes", especially when Lee's can and often do get really intense.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

When did Hartnett start looking so old?

 

[emielaen]

Pace as a pick is only gaining traction because we have a ****ty director attached and the brand is incredibly damaged. So we started looking at C listers like Pace and Ackles.

Lol is this supposed to make sense?

People have been suggesting people like Ackles or Adkins forever anyway. And people are still suggesting A-listers because it’s Batman. This seems purposefully ridiculous lol

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

Lol is this supposed to make sense?

People have been suggesting people like Ackles or Adkins forever anyway. And people are still suggesting A-listers because it’s Batman. This seems purposefully ridiculous lol

It makes sense. Bad director and a damaged brand limits the pool of actors that would commit. Pace, Ackles, or Adkins would likely jump at the opportunity because they are C listers who could use a career boost, while a bigger better name like Gosling or Gyllenhaal can afford to be more choosy.

Because of the situation, many people are being more realistic with their fancasts. Hence C list names like Pace or Ackles, which are more realistic and less exciting.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

A lot of strong feelings in this thread.

But yeah, Pace is plenty charismatic, IMO, and the man's got presence like all get-out! If you've already seen his work on Foundation or Halt and Catch Fire and you're still not convinced that he can come across intimidating, I don't know what to tell you. Invader certainly isn't wrong about the eye thing; he just isn't. What's more, Pace's voice is on par with Richard Armitage's, for crying out loud! And at 6'5", he'd make a towering Batman to boot.

Physically speaking, I know Pace doesn't look exactly like Bruce in the comics, but when has that ever stopped any previous actor from nabbing the part? Also, it's worth noting that the character is often depicted with menacing eyebrows and a sharp nose akin to Pace's. So, to assert that there's no resemblance whatsoever sounds a bit disingenuous to me.

As for Pace's sexuality, I couldn't care less that he's in an openly gay marriage. That really shouldn't have any bearing on his fitness for the role. If it's simply a question of whether or not he'd be convincing as a straight character, then it might help to know that most of his previous roles are actually straight or bisexual. And he publicly identifies as bisexual as well. So, again, no issue here.

 

[Snow Queen]

If he sticks around as director, I'll be surprised. I thought he'd be there rain or shine until I saw just how badly Flash has blown up for them. I'm betting on creative differences and a return to smaller horror. The biggest challenge in getting anyone to sign on, I'd argue, is - if this goes right and Universal doesn't buy WB and restart in five years - they're signing a ten year commitment. One that might span movie, TV shows, video games, and animated projects. That's no small ask for anyone and is likely to turn off a whole lot of notable names.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

Lol is this supposed to make sense?