James Gunn Says the DCU Batman Has Not Been Cast — but the Search Is Getting Closer

DC Studios has not cast its new Batman. James Gunn says the decision is getting closer, but he has not named an actor, announced auditions or given a casting date. He also expects the DC Universe’s Bruce Wayne and Superman to be roughly contemporaries rather than heroes separated by a large age gap.

The update came in Gunn’s conversation with Jennifer Holland and Steve Agee for The Suicide Squad: Is It Canon? The Official Podcast, covered on October 29–30 by TheWrap and Variety. It is an unusually clear answer in a casting cycle dominated by guesses, fancasts and supposed insider reports.

What James Gunn actually confirmed

Gunn told the podcast that Batman has not been cast and that choosing the actor is not very far away. That is a statement about proximity, not a timetable. There is no confirmed date for auditions, an announcement, filming or the film’s opening.

He also challenged the idea that DC Studios needs an established movie star as its Batman. His stated aim is to choose the best actor for the part, even if that performer previously appeared in a small role in one of his productions. Nothing in those comments identifies a favourite, a shortlist or a final agreement.

That distinction matters. Someone being compatible with Gunn’s description is not evidence that DC has approached them.

How old will the DCU’s Batman be?

When Agee asked about the age of the performer, Gunn said Batman and Superman should be close in age and described them as future friends and contemporaries.

That does not establish a strict age requirement. David Corenswet, who plays the DCU’s Superman, is 33 as of the discussion. Gunn did not specify that the Batman actor must be 33, in his mid-30s, or even a particular number of years older or younger. He was discussing the characters’ relationship, not issuing a casting notice.

The comment does help separate this version of Bruce Wayne from speculation about a much older, mentor-like Batman. But casting, makeup, a character’s fictional age and an actor’s actual age are four different things.

What happens to The Brave and the Bold?

The DCU’s Batman film, The Brave and the Bold, remains in development. TheWrap reported in January that Christina Hodson had been hired to write it, with Andy Muschietti attached to direct. The original presentation discussed Bruce Wayne’s relationship with Damian Wayne, his son and a Robin in the comics.

None of Gunn’s new casting remarks supplies a finished script, production start, theatrical date or final plot outline. They should not be mistaken for the formal launch of a marketing campaign.

That matters especially because DC’s plans have evolved since the movie was first discussed. The most responsible way to follow the project is to distinguish who has actually been hired from the characters and story elements DC may ultimately use.

Is this Robert Pattinson’s Batman?

No. Robert Pattinson leads Matt Reeves’ separate The Batman film series, outside the primary Gunn and Peter Safran DCU continuity. The person DC Studios eventually casts for its main shared universe will play a different Batman.

The separation is important when reading reports about Reeves’ next movie. Our coverage of The Batman: Part II filming concerns Pattinson’s continuation, not Gunn’s casting search.

The DCU has already established Gotham on screen through projects such as Clayface. Our Clayface trailer and continuity breakdown explains why the presence of Batman-related characters or references does not establish an unannounced appearance by a particular actor.

What could this mean for the wider DCU?

Gunn’s desire for Batman and Superman to be contemporaries suggests that their eventual onscreen relationship matters to his plans. It does not confirm a shared film, a Justice League schedule or a Batman cameo in the next Superman release.

For the confirmed Superman production, see our Man of Tomorrow update. Gunn has also explained that DCU stories should work on their own without every project serving merely as a setup for a crossover.

FAQ

Who is playing Batman in James Gunn’s DCU?

No actor has been announced or cast, according to Gunn’s October 2026 remarks. Social-media casting claims should not be presented as confirmed appointments.

When will the new Batman be cast?

Gunn said casting is approaching, but gave no date for the search or a public announcement.

Will the DCU Batman be the same age as Superman?

Gunn expects the characters to be roughly the same age. He has not announced a precise age range for the actor.

Is The Brave and the Bold the same film as The Batman: Part II?

No. The Brave and the Bold is the developing main-DCU project; The Batman: Part II belongs to Matt Reeves’ separate continuity.

Image note: The Batman illustration above comes from DC’s 2026 comics publishing programme. It is archival cover art, not a likeness of an announced film actor or a preview of the new movie’s costume. Artwork credit: DC Comics / Brian Ching.