Jonathan Bailey — the out actor best known for starring in Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers, Jurassic World: Rebirth, and the Wicked movies — is reportedly being considered to play Batman, a.k.a. Bruce Wayne, in James Gunn’s newly-established DCU franchise at Warner Bros. Discovery.
If true, the current DC Comics film franchise would include David Corenswet (as Superman) and Bailey (as Batman) existing in the same DCU continuity. No one would run away from this Caped Crusader, or that Man of Steel, that’s for sure.
The “Batley” rumors had been around for some time in superhero-focused news outlets like Screen Rant and ComicBookMovie, as well as fan-pages like @EverythingDCU_. Generally, they point to a liked X post (formerly tweet) liked by Gunn that reads:
“I think it’d be cool if James [Gunn] found some spot for Jonathan Bailey in the DCU. Don’t really know which character but he seems like a massive star in the making. I’m actually surprised he’s not a more popular fan-cast for Batman.”
Even though this speculation isn’t entirely new, a new wave of reactions to the rumors has come back to the surface.
“So you mean Jonathan Bailey is the top choice for Bruce Wayne?” @godsandmortaIs wrote on X. The post has been viewed over 700,000 times as of this writing, and seems on track to hit 1 million views this Tuesday.
Huge news, if true — and several other X users agree.
“Now hold the hell on,” Zoë Rose Bryant wrote.
@TakeOverFlaco replied, “Yeah this the one…”
“Fuck it… Jonathan Bailey would make a great Batman for the DCU,” X user @dhebshxbxbb noted.
“The Gunn would be firing at levels previously unseen,” @TheJakeChristie commented under an X post about Bailey becoming the next Batman.
@tombsraiders wrote on X, “The people unknowingly yearn for Jonathan Bailey as Batman.”
What happens to Robert Pattinson’s The Batman: Part II sequel if Jonathan Bailey is cast as Batman?
Robert Pattinson as Batman, a.k.a. Bruce Wayne, in The Batman (2022).Warner Bros/DC Studios
Nothing would change for Robert Pattinson’s The Batman: Part II if Jonathan Bailey — or any other actors — is cast to play Bruce Wayne in James Gunn’s DCU. Let’s break that down.
Directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson, 2022’s The Batman film was pretty well-received by fans and critics alike. Specifically, that movie led to HBO Max’s The Penguin TV series, as well as a sequel film, The Batman: Part II, which is still scheduled to open in theaters in 2027.
The Batman (2022).Warner Bros/DC Studios
Historically, DC Comics (through Warner Bros. Discovery) has taken a different approach from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Beyond the interconnected DCEU franchise, DC superheroes and villains were seen in different, standalone continuities.
Namely, The CW’s Arrowverse — including TV shows like The Flash, D.C.’s Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow, and Supergirl — was always completely separate from the greater DCEU. The studio also did plenty of standalone continuities, like Todd Phillips’s The Joker and Joker: Folie à Deux, as well as Matt Reeves’s The Batman.
Did James Gunn confirm that Robert Pattinson’s Batman isn’t in the DCU?
Robert Pattinson as Batman, a.k.a. Bruce Wayne, in The Batman (2022).Warner Bros/DC Studios
Yes, Gunn has made it clear that this new DCU continuity is starting from the ground up. Nearly all pre-DCU projects are being dropped to make way for the DCU saga.
The director and producer has also specifically confirmed that Pattinson’s The Batman will not be brought into the DCU, as reported by IGN.
Which DCU movie will introduce the new Batman actor?
The Brave and the Bold poster.Warner Bros/DC Studios
The actor who gets chosen by James Gunn to join the interconnected DCU franchise will star in the upcoming film The Brave and the Bold. Gunn said that the upcoming film will introduce a brand-new Bruce Wayne, and will focus on the “Bat family,” as reported by Variety.
If Jonathan Bailey is cast as Batman, The Brave and the Bold will be his first film as the character. If any other actor is picked to play Batman, that person will also be introduced in Gunn’s upcoming Batman movie. Pattinson’s standalone The Batman sequel will remain as is.
