Brave and the Bold Casting Thread

[Invader Joker]

Christ, was that man ever wasted in Guardians. He's fun in it but, man, huge fan of the franchise but parts of that first movie are weak as hell. You can see the skeleton of something incredibly generic

Even Gunn himself admitted that the villain stuff is the one part of the first Guardians he doesn't feel that happy about. He said it was due to there being some interference with Marvel's architectural writing room team, which... well I hope that experience taught him a lesson on how to handle that stuff with his own directors/writers going forward lol

See, for me the voice is so unique it becomes an asset. There's a maniacal intensity to it that is way different than any other Batman actors voice but... I dunno, man, I can picture some of Morrison's dialogue being read in Jake's voice and it totally works for me. That famous scene where he loses his goddamn mind at Damian for the first time especially.

I like his manical intensity, it's the fact that his voice is naturally somewhat higher pitched that gives me pause. And you and I both know that, with the hyper-traditional way that Gunn seems to be going about casting the major players, there is absolutely zero chance in hell he's just gonna have Batman with a voice that's not dark and broody, especially since he's gonna want the Batman actor to also voice act the character in multiple projects.

A big factor for me when casting this particular project which I assume will have a greater comedic bent than most modern Batman films is the actors ability to be funny in the role while still being a normal, serious Batman. Jake would nail that. I have a gut feeling post-Flash that if Muschietti stays this movie will be super comedic because he clearly has a very specific take on Batman - a bad one, mind you, but a specific one. Even if he leaves, that might also be Gunn's instinct for the character and we'll just get a better take on it.

Well, like I said, I don't think there is actually /that/ big a difference between casting for a "lighter" Batman and for a "darker" Batman since the whole key to that is to not play the comedy and instead have Bruce taking everything deadly serious. Although I don't know, I don't think that it's Gunn's intention for the movie to go hyper comedic. It might become that way, but him explicitly listing Morrison's run as an inspiration already gives us an idea of the tone he seems to be aiming towards.

And I also don't think he'll intentionally limit the pool of directors to those that can give him an hyper comedic take; after all, if this summer has taught him anything, is probably the fact that hiring actual creatives for these films is more important than just hired hands. He strikes me as someone that'd be smart enough to look at the success of his own Guardians 3, Spider-verse, Barbie, Oppenheimer, etc compared to the catastrophic disasters of Shazam, The Flash and Ant-Man, and recognize that.

Muschietti's hiring doesn't actually give us any insight on what this movie might have been like because there are barely any similarities stylistically between Mamá, IT films and The Flash that it's more likely they just hired him because they saw him as easily controllable and for some reason thought The Flash was gonna be received well by the general audience. Now that it wasn't and its become WB's own "John Carter" he'll be getting rid of.

 

[Deck Rickard]

I recently binged Based on a True Story on Peacock and I have a new favorite for Batman - Tom Bateman. He’s been suggested in the past and I always kinda liked him for the role but seeing him play a deranged (but also charming and funny) serial killer really sold me on him. He was also really good in Behind Her Eyes.

At 34, he’s a good age for what they’re going for (he could have realistically had a kid in his early 20s), he’s also got a good Bruce Wayne look and he looks frickin’ huge in most things. His official height is listed at 6’2” but I think he might be taller than that. He also can do a good, gravelly Batman voice.

 

[Lily Adler]

I recently binged Based on a True Story on Peacock and I have a new favorite for Batman - Tom Bateman. He’s been suggested in the past and I always kinda liked him for the role but seeing him play a deranged (but also charming and funny) serial killer really sold me on him. He was also really good in Behind Her Eyes.

At 34, he’s a good age for what they’re going for (he could have realistically had a kid in his early 20s), he’s also got a good Bruce Wayne look and he looks frickin’ huge in most things. His official height is listed at 6’2” but I think he might be taller than that.

Great cheekbones.

 

[Invader Joker]

I recently binged Based on a True Story on Peacock and I have a new favorite for Batman - Tom Bateman. He’s been suggested in the past and I always kinda liked him for the role but seeing him play a deranged (but also charming and funny) serial killer really sold me on him. He was also really good in Behind Her Eyes.

The problem is that "deranged serial killer" is quite literally where his range starts and ends. I've seen his acting in quite a few things and it's always a variation of that same exact vibe. Even in Jekyll & Hyde when he was playing Jekyll it was still that. He lacks any warmth whatsoever that'd also be needed for Batman and Bruce Wayne. "Charming psychopath" is his only mode.

 

[flickchick85]

Yeah Bateman ain’t it imo.

 

[Deck Rickard]

The problem is that "deranged serial killer" is quite literally where his range starts and ends. I've seen his acting in quite a few things and it's always a variation of that same exact vibe. Even in Jekyll & Hyde when he was playing Jekyll it was still that. He lacks any warmth whatsoever that'd also be needed for Batman and Bruce Wayne. "Charming psychopath" is his only mode.

He displayed warmth in Behind Her Eyes. And he did the international playboy type thing in Branagh’s Peroit films.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

Bateman does seem like the type of actor Gunn would consider on the basis of his appearance (virtually every actor cast in the DCU thus far can be described as comic book accurate) and his ability to play dark characters. The problem is, he's never delivered any kind of noteworthy performance that left me wanting to see more. I don't know. I suppose I could live with it if he were cast in the role. But my personal investment aside (or lack thereof), it's the broader audiences this new regime needs to mostly concern itself with. And I just have a hard time seeing this guy click with everyday moviegoers in any meaningful way. That can't be good for business.

 

[Invader Joker]

I think he'd be terrible because if he does his usual shtick with Batman it'd hands down be the worst Batman performance of all time. He'd need to show a level of range he's quite literally never shown before.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Bateman does seem like the type of actor Gunn would consider on the basis of his appearance (virtually every actor cast in the DCU thus far can be described as comic book accurate) and his ability to play dark characters. The problem is, he's never delivered any kind of noteworthy performance that left me wanting to see more. I don't know. I suppose I could live with it if he were cast in the role. But my personal investment aside (or lack thereof), it's the broader audiences this new regime needs to mostly concern itself with. And I just have a hard time seeing this guy click with everyday moviegoers in any meaningful way. That can't be good for business.

I mean, that’s fair. I don’t know that he would be great but in at least two main roles and one supporting one I’ve seen the pieces of what I think could make a solid Batman/Bruce Wayne performance. Would he click with moviegoers? I have no idea but I think at this point we can’t even say that Corenswet will either (and I love Corenswet). Both actors are kind of untested in that regard since neither has had the lead in a big film yet. You could even make the case that the two favorites in this thread (Pace and Gyllenhaal) aren’t sure bets in that regard. The closest thing Pace has had to a lead role in a big, franchise film was as the villain in GOTG and I think I’m the only person who appreciated his performance as Ronan. And Jake has had a ton of lead roles but many of them have been in flops (and he’s been terrible in some of them, like Ambulance).

I think he'd be terrible because if he does his usual shtick with Batman it'd hands down be the worst Batman performance of all time. He'd need to show a level of range he's quite literally never shown before.

I love the hyperbole here. It’s fine that you’re not a fan of his acting but as usual, if it’s not Invader Joker’s chosen actor, it will be “hands down the worst Batman performance of all time.” Like, I’ve endured Kilmer and Clooney phoning it in and Snyder and Affleck’s Knightmare abomination, but somehow you know that Bateman would be waaaaayyyy worse than all of them.

By all means, let’s just keep gushing over the same 2-3 people and shutting down any other suggestions.

 

[Invader Joker]

I love the hyperbole here. It’s fine that you’re not a fan of his acting but as usual, if it’s not Invader Joker’s chosen actor, it will be “hands down the worst Batman performance of all time.” Like, I’ve endured Kilmer and Clooney phoning it in and Snyder and Affleck’s Knightmare abomination, but somehow you know that Bateman would be waaaaayyyy worse than all of them.

By all means, let’s just keep gushing over the same 2-3 people and shutting down any other suggestions.

Kilmer, Clooney and Affleck all fit Batman a lot better than what Bateman did. Clooney had that suave charm to him that fit the character even if the end result ended up being unfavorablebecause of the script, Kilmer had an extremely cool voice and was a great actor, it was once again the movie that let him down, Ben Affleck though he may not have been the most inspired had at least some interesting qualities going for him and actually played intense in the role really well. He also exuded a natural warmth in the Snydercut that kinda surprised me. The worst thing you could say about Affleck's performance is that it was boring but it wasn't bad by any means and it was really obvious based on the "tired leading man with middle aged crisis" vibe that he had on his performances prior to Batman where his direction would go.


Meanwhile Tom Bateman... his natural voice is that of a pirate which you could say would be cool for Batman but it'd also sound utterly ridiculous as Bruce Wayne. In all of his performances he's always having a sinister vibe, and I include Behind her Eyes on that which based on the clips I've seen also has him with his usual shtick. I'm not against proposing new names or revisiting old ones, but Bateman in my personal opinion and based on what I've seen of his work is legitimately one of my least favorite ones and one of the worst for this. I'd take Sam Claflin, who I don't particularly like, above Bateman. Hell, I'd take Jamie Dornan who I don't like either above Bateman. Even Ben Barnes as well. At least those 3 have shown to be able to play something other than "charming psychopath".

I don't really recall using the whole "worst Batman performance of all time" line for any other actor, mind you lol The worst I've said about others is that I don't like them. Bateman is just one that I dislike a lot because of his previous work. There's always the "maybe he could surprise" factor but I've got no reason based on his work to think he would.

 

[Marvel Spider]

I know we're all just spitballing here, but I do think that if two Batman franchises are running at the same time, the DCU version will be casting someone who is as comparatively broadly known as Pattinson. I don't foresee them choosing a more unknown actor for the role.

Who they cast needs to kind of be a clear statement to the general audience: "These are two very distinct versions of the character, both are worth your time, and both star people who you'd pay money to see do something interesting with the role." Especially in DC's current climate, I don't think they'll be giving this to a lesser known actor (Superman aside, since that role has a history of unknowns).

 

[Invader Joker]

I know we're all just spitballing here, but I do think that if two Batman franchises are running at the same time, the DCU version will be casting someone who is as comparatively broadly known as Pattinson. I don't foresee them choosing a more unknown actor for the role.

Who they cast needs to kind of be a clear statement to the general audience: "These are two very distinct versions of the character, both are worth your time, and both star people who you'd pay money to see do something interesting with the role." Especially in DC's current climate, I don't think they'll be giving this to a lesser known actor (Superman aside, since that role has a history of unknowns).

The problem is that with that exact logic it'd only come down to Jake Gyllenhaal so it's not really the most useful standard to put here. Also, Batman doesn't need a star, Batman is the star.

 

[Eddie Dean]

lol, Gyllenhaal is hardly the only known actor who could be Batman

 

[Invader Joker]

lol, Gyllenhaal is hardly the only known actor who could be Batman

Name another one in the 30s-40s age range that can legitimately be called "a star".

 

[Eddie Dean]

Name another one in the 30s-40s age range that can legitimately be called "a star".

Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Tom Hardy, Ryan Gosling, Chris Pine

 

[Invader Joker]

Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Tom Hardy, Ryan Gosling, Chris Pine

Literally all of those have exactly a 0% chance of happening.

 

[Eddie Dean]

According to you

 

[Invader Joker]

According to you

???

Let's go by one by one.

Ryan Gosling: We've already went over as to why he's unlikely as hell to do something like Batman for the DCU.

Chris Pine: Waaaay too linked to Gal's Wonder Woman and the old DCEU to make any sense.

Tom Hardy: He's clearly full into the Venom train and he ain't getting off that ride any time soon.

Oscar Isaac: Already Moon Knight, plus with the hyper-traditional way that Gunn has been going about casting the odds of him casting an actor /that/ much shorter than Superman for Batman, and him "racebending" Batman, are also extraordinarily low.

Adam Driver: Again, with the hyper traditional way Gunn has been going about casting, there is zero reason to think he'd go for someone with Driver's look for Batman. There is also the chance he'll be Mr. Fantastic and if he turned that down then why would he say yes to the DCU.

 

[Eddie Dean]

Hyper traditional ok buddy

 

[Invader Joker]

Hyper traditional ok buddy

I don't know what else you would call David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois and (possibly) Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen. They are absolutely great picks, but since those pretty much set the stage for the thought process behind the new DCU, they also kinda make it clear he's not exactly looking to do any crazy reinventions over here even in terms of looks or anything like that. And I know the height point can be eye-rolling but when you've got a 6'4 dude as Superman and Gunn clearly cares a lot about height as he's talked about it before in his casting process it is something that one has to consider.

Don't get me wrong, I doubt he'll be mega militant on getting someone that looks /exactly/ like the comic or anything, but the odds of him looking to reinvent the wheel to the extent of casting someone with the look of Driver as Batman (who in all honesty would look really off in the cowl) or someone like Oscar Isaac who is a full 7 inches shorter than Corenswet, are pretty much non-existant. It's pretty obvious based on his casting processes through the years neither of those prospects would interest him, and neither would the idea on being fixated on getting a "star" for that matter.

 

[Eddie Dean]

Two choices, one just a rumor. He also cast an overweight sitcom star and a wrestler with little acting experience.

 

[Invader Joker]

Two choices, one just a rumor. He also cast an overweight sitcom star and a wrestler with little acting experience.

Those two things do squarely point out to the fact that he doesn't care about star power so I'm not sure how they refute my point lol Neither of them had unconventional looks for either of the characters they were picked as, especially since Pratt wasn't overweight when he cast him (And in fact, him being an "overweight sitcom star" was the reason for months he didn't even want to consider Pratt. It was only until he got tricked by Sarah Finn into looking at him auditioning that he changed his mind because he realized he wasn't just the "Park and Recs" guy) and Bautista straight up looks like a copy of his comic book counterpart even when the character itself was very different from the comic.

Regardless, the biggest problem with Driver is that he'd look terrible in the cowl. Even if you put his "unconventionality" aside, the moment you screentest him in a batsuit it's game over for him.

And the height thing is a true thing with Gunn, he's also gone onto great detail explaining why he cares about height when it comes to casting. And even if you want to put that aside, the fact that Hardy and Isaac are both attached to superhero franchises already also makes them unlikely as hell. There are about a thousand different reasons why those 3 are mega-unlikely, and when the biggest argument to make for them is star power (which is something he does not care about) there is zero reason to even consider them.

Also Superman and Lois may just be two castings but it's freaking Superman and Lois. Superman Legacy is the foundation of the new DCU, so it only makes sense to think of their leads as setting the foundation of what the casting will be like as well.

 

[Eddie Dean]

You said that Jake G is the only big name actor who could play Batman, which is false.

 

[Eddie Dean]

Also related to height, Mila Kunis and Amanda Seyfried both turned down Gamora. I believe both are 3 feet tall.

 

[Invader Joker]

You said that Jake G is the only big name actor who could play Batman, which is false.

It's true though. I mean, maybe you could say they could play him in the sense that in theory in an alternate reality they could, but if the chances of them getting cast are zero then what's the point of even entertaining them lol The point that if we're looking at this through the lens of getting recognizable actors only Gyllenhaal makes any sense still stands because the rest are not ****ing happening.

Also related to height, Mila Kunis and Amanda Seyfried both turned down Gamora. I believe both are 3 feet tall.

He seems to apply different standards regarding the subject when it comes to women which you can also see reflected in how he's cast throughout his career. Also he once complained about actors talking about being "offered" a role when in reality they were just offered to audition so I imagine he was talking about them (Which tracks since neither of them make any sense as being real contenders for that role)

And even if you wanna completely ignore his casting sensibilities and not take height into account (which you should since this is the same man that said the casting for other Guardians characters dragged on a lot because Chris was so tall and he was hellbent on getting actors that wouldn't look small next to him) that still doesn't address the fact that both Hardy and Isaac are currently tied to other CBM franchises which rules them out regardless.