Ben Barnes is best known for playing Billy Russo, also called Jigsaw, in The Punisher. But now, it looks like he wants to change sides, moving from Marvel to DC and from villain to hero. Some big roles in the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters are already taken, but many important ones are still open. Barnes has shown interest in one major role: Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman.
He even told DC bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran to “call” him if they want him to join Gotham as the Caped Crusader.
Barnes has said before that he’d like to return as Jigsaw in the MCU, but he’s also ready to try something new. During a panel with Collider at FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention, Barnes said Batman is the DCU role he wants most. He explained that he grew up watching superheroes and dressing up as them, often choosing Batman’s cape and mask. He shared a memory, saying:
I was actually watching some— my parents just visited me, and they bought some like little kid videos, and we were watching some old family videos. And in every single one, I was dressed like Batman or Robin Hood. I think there may have been a Spider-Man one, but it was mainly Batman. So obviously, I was, from age 4 and up, I obviously requested that.
Barnes said if wishing for a role could make it happen, he wouldn’t waste the chance. “Hey, I accept,” he said, showing how eager he is. “Just call me. I’ve got Bruce Wayne ready to go.” Playing a superhero would be new for Barnes, but he has acted as heroic characters before, like Prince Caspian in Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia movies. Still, he is more used to playing darker roles, such as the power-hungry General Kirigan in Netflix’s Shadow and Bone and the shady Logan Delos in HBO’s Westworld.
A new Batman will be part of the DCU, different from Robert Pattinson’s darker version in The Batman: Part II, the next film in Matt Reeves’ Elseworlds series, set to release in October 2027. This new Batman will appear in The Brave and the Bold, which will show his relationship with his son Damian Wayne, who becomes Robin. Casting won’t start until the script is finished, and many actors are expected to compete for the part.
Alan Ritchson, star of Reacher, has also said many times that he wants to play Batman in the DCU. He is a popular fan pick, and James Gunn has been asked often about his chances. Gunn hasn’t given a clear answer, only saying in July that fans will have to “just wait and see what happens.” This could mean Gunn is waiting to see if Ritchson matches the script for The Brave and the Bold, or that Ritchson could be cast in another DCU role. With many more projects planned, fans will have to follow Gunn’s advice and wait to find out if Barnes or Ritchson make it onto the final cast list.
Source: Collider