The DC Universe hasn’t found its Batman yet, but fans of the Caped Crusader already have one actor in mind, and he almost played Batman not long ago. After the DC Extended Universe failed to build a consistent world of characters from DC Comics, Warner Bros. decided to reboot it with the DC Universe, led by James Gunn and Peter Safran. Despite keeping some characters from the DCEU, most notably Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller, the DC Universe will introduce new characters and new versions of some of DC Comics’ most beloved characters, including Batman.
While Robert Pattinson’s Batman continues living in a different universe, the DC Universe will bring another version of the Dark Knight in the movie The Brave and the Bold. Batman’s first big screen adventure as part of the DC Universe is currently in pre-production and has already found its director (The Flash’s Andy Muschietti), but a new Batman actor hasn’t been announced. Of course, that hasn’t stopped fan-casting lists, and the most popular actor in these almost played Batman a year ago.
Jensen Ackles Almost Played Batman In Gotham Knights
The TV series Gotham Knights focused on members of the Batman family in a timeline where Batman is now dead. In the wake of Bruce Wayne’s funeral, his adopted son, Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan), forms an alliance with runaways Harper (Fallon Smythe) and Cullen Row (Tyler DiChiara) and criminal Duela (Olivia Rose Keegan) after they are all framed for the murder of Bruce Wayne. Those behind this are the Gotham City Police Department and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Misha Collins), but the team is also led to the Court of Owls, and eventually become Gotham’s new protectors as the title Gotham Knights.
Gotham Knights’ Bruce Wayne was played by David Miller in an uncredited role, but it could have been played by Jensen Ackles, who is now the fan-favorite choice for the DC Universe’s Batman. Speaking to Multiverse of Color’s The Flash Podcast in March 2023, Misha Collins revealed that his Supernatural co-star Jensen Ackles could have been Batman in Gotham Knights. Collins explained they tried to have Ackles on the show, but Ackles was already busy with other projects and they couldn’t find a way to coordinate both. Unfortunately, there’s no chance for Ackles to play Bruce Wayne in a future season, as Gotham Knights was canceled after one season.
Why Jensen Ackles Playing Batman In Gotham Knights Would’ve Been Special
Gotham Knights wouldn’t have been Jensen Ackles’ first adventure in Gotham City, as he has already played Batman, though not in live-action. Ackles voiced Bruce Wayne/Batman in the two-part animated movie Batman: The Long Halloween and the animated films Legion of Super-Heroes and Justice League: Warworld. Ackles’ debut in the universe of DC Comics happened in 2004 when he played Jason Teague in the TV series Smallville, but it wasn’t until the 2010 animated movie Batman: Under the Red Hood that he played a non-civilian character when he voiced Jason Todd/Red Hood.
Jensen Ackles joining Gotham Knights as Batman would have been special as it would have been his first time playing a live-action Batman after voicing the character in different adventures, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen. As the search for the DC Universe’s Batman continues, there’s still hope for Jensen Ackles to play the Dark Knight, especially as he already knows the character quite well.
