Batman is a highly-beloved and widely known character, so much so that even those who don’t know comics or any comic-related media know of the character at least somewhat. With that said, everyone has their favorite Batman actors, and there’s no shortage of fan-castings for the role either, with some actors even throwing their hats into the ring, fan-casting themselves. One of the latest examples of this is Jensen Ackles, who, believe it or not, is only following in a co-star’s footsteps to play the coveted hero.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Jensen Ackles have pretty much become household names at this point. They’ve both collected widespread fame for their various individual projects. For Morgan, his best-known role is likely as Negan in The Walking Dead and the new spin-off Dead City or even as the lovable Denny in Grey’s Anatomy. Ackles has a similar career, appearing in notable shows like Days of Our Lives, Smallville, and Dawson’s Creek. His best-known role for some is probably as Soldier Boy in the relatively new hit The Boys. However, beyond those roles, there’s no questioning that when discussing both names together, one title comes to mind: Supernatural.
Jensen Ackles and Jeffrey Dean Morgan Share a Similar Interest
Everyone knows that in Supernatural, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Jensen Ackles played father and son John and Dean Winchester, respectively. But, what many may not know is that Morgan absolutely loves comic books. He’s been very open for the past few years about wanting to be involved in a comic book movie, mentioning that he likes the idea of playing Lobo and, most notably, Batman.
While he hasn’t exactly gotten this wish, he got quite close in 2016 with his small role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In the movie’s opening scene, he plays Thomas Wayne, who actually becomes Batman in some universes. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to return to the role. Still, even if he never does step into Batman’s iconic tights, there is a chance for his on-screen son to fill the Dark Knight’s shoes.
Jensen Ackles May Have a Better Shot at Playing Batman
While fans are often left in the dark about future DCU projects, something folks know for certain is that James Gunn is taking the DCU by storm. Gunn will soon bring Batman back into the spotlight, confirming that a fresh face will be behind the mask. While this doesn’t completely rule out Morgan, it certainly opens the door for Jensen Ackles to take the spotlight. Aside from Ackles’ other roles, he’s no stranger to Batman, as he’s voiced the character many times, including in Batman: The Long Halloween and Legion of Super-Heroes. That said, his role in DC’s Tomorrowverse could boost his name further up in the running.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan was intended to be one of the many characters in The Flash, reprising his role of Thomas Wayne. In it, Wayne would be an alternate Batman in which Thomas loses his son and dons the mask and tights to defend Gotham. It’s been confirmed that the reasoning behind this is the Flashpoint comics, and including Thomas Wayne’s Batman would’ve made The Flash too comic-book accurate. While this is undoubtedly a disappointing lost opportunity for fans to see Morgan as the Bat, there have also been concerns –mainly from Morgan himself– that his age may hinder his chance to return to the role. If that’s the case, one could assume Ackles has more time and more of an opportunity overall to take on the role. Regardless, both actors are fantastic options for the part, with their acting backgrounds and deep voices only supporting this further. Fans would likely be generally pleased with either star as Batman.
Source: cbr.com