James Gunn took to social media to call out the rumor mill’s apparent lies about Batman’s age in the DCU.
Bruce Wayne might not be introduced into the still-gestating DCU until Batman: The Brave and the Bold hits cinemas (barring an unforeseen cameo in an earlier project). But despite that film still being a ways away, the fanbase just can’t seem to stop speculating about the Caped Crusader’s casting.
Additionally, several big-name actors have tossed their hats into the ring as Bat-Hopefuls.
James Gunn Gives Succinct Takedown of Batman Rumor
On Instagram, DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn created a story post that featured a news story regarding Gunn "looking for a middle-aged man to play [the DCU’s] Batman." But, as the executive and Superman director so eloquently put it, the story in question is "bullsh*t."
In actuality, DC Studios very likely has not yet begun casting for the Batman of the DCU. Gunn has stated on many an occasion that casting for DC Studios projects does not begin until the script is satisfactory.
Seemingly, Batman: The Brave and the Bold will be Bats' first appearance, and that film does not look to be that far into pre-production. Gunn also shot down another rumor that the film’s screenplay was being written by Andy Muschietti (who is also attached as director) and Rodo Sayagues in June (via CBR).
The source of the initial "middle-aged man" casting rumor is internet scooper MyTimeToShineHello. The account has made a name for itself in recent years, posting details for upcoming films that often wind up being provably false.
James Gunn added the following to the bottom of his story post:
"Sometimes the rumor folks get information wrong - but other times they seem to just make stuff up for clicks out of whole cloth. This is one of those times."
In rebuttal, MyTimeToShineHello came out swinging, pointing out that Gunn has previously debunked other DCU rumors that turned out to be factual, citing scuttlebutt about Superman’s suit and Ultraman appearing in next year’s Superman film in an X (formerly Twitter) post:
"Remember when the Superman suit and Ultraman were 'debunked.' Let's just wait and see."
It should also be noted that Matt Reeves’ The Batman movies are their own thing in a separate Elseworlds universe. In other words, Robert Pattinson’s Bruce, in all likelihood, never be folded in as the DCU’s Greatest Detective.
Reeves himself previously indicated his universe starring Pattinson exists separately from Gunn's DCU.
What Age Should Batman Be in the DCU?
So, if James Gunn and DC Studios have cast major doubt on the DCU’s take on Batman being in middle age, how old should Gotham’s guardian really be portrayed as? And how old should his actor ideally be?
For starters, many fans believe that Bats should be of comparable age to Superman, give or take a handful of years. After all, in most incarnations of the DC Universe, Bruce and Clark are tight, trusting one another with their lives. This might be an easier sell if the two heroes are in the same age bracket.
The age gap, or lack thereof, has been backed up by Gunn in a Threads post from June.
31-year-old David Corenswet was confirmed by Gunn to be the same age as his Superman. So, with Clark in his early 30s, in turn, many would agree that Bruce should be no older than 39-40, and even that feels like pushing it.
But then one must account for the Damian of it all. Batman: The Brave and the Bold is confirmed to feature the introduction of Bruce’s young son Damian Wayne (along with several other members of the Bat-Family), whom he trains to be a Robin.
Damian was 10 years old when he took on the mantle of Robin in the comics. Assuming DCU Damian is around the same age, Bruce, as a result, needs to be old enough to have fathered him with Talia al Ghul in the past.
From a real-world perspective, with Batman being such an icon and a staple of the franchise, DC Studios is clearly looking toward the future with its Bruce Wayne casting. The studio needs to find someone young enough to carry the role for, potentially, over a decade.
Therefore, DC probably intends to cast Batman on the younger side with an actor who will stick with things for the long haul.
Whatever the case ends up being, DC Studios, and by extension, James Gunn, have their work cut out for them, as selecting an actor for the Dark Knight, as well as several other DC mainstays like Wonder Woman and Flash, are tricky and deceptively delicate operations. Hopefully, the right people are chosen for the job.
Currently, The Brave and the Bold does not have a release date confirmed.
