It’s a well-established fact that the DCEU as we knew it — and some of us even loved it — was discontinued when James Gunn and Peter Safran became co-chairpersons and CEOs of DC Films, which is now rebranded into DC Studios. These were disheartening news for Batman fans, mainly because Ben Affleck’s portrayal of Bruce Wayne, polarizing as it was, was actually one of the most accurate portrayals thus far.
Matt Reeves’ The Batman was and still is a cinematic masterpiece, but it doesn’t really belong to either DCEU or the newly formed DC Universe — which was actually confirmed by Gunn at one point. This would effectively leave the new DC Universe without its Batman. However, recent rumors suggested that John Krasinski, the star behind Doctor Strange‘s Mr. Fantastic and Jack Ryan, might don the mantle of Gotham’s Caped Crusader and play the city’s favorite vigilante son. But is there any truth to those rumors? Is John Krasinski the next Batman?
Well, to be entirely honest, Krasinski isn’t a stranger to action-intensive releases; the audiences were fairly impressed with his transformation into an action hero in Michael Bay’s 13 Hours, after which he landed the headline role of Jack Ryan before he went on to portray Reed Richards in the MCU and even voice Superman in DC’s League of Super-Pets. So, why wouldn’t he be Batman in the upcoming The Brave and the Bold film, and thus mark the Caped Crusader’s entry into the newly formed DC Universe?
We’re actually sad to inform you that the rumor was actually conjured out of thin air by the fans after Bill “Jett” Ramey — @BATMANONFILM on X, formerly Twitter — posted a photo of Krasinski, without any captions that would provide context for why they, a prominent everything-Batman account, posted it. Of course, zealous and die-hard fans and rumor excavators wasted no time in spinning the rumor further until it eventually got the internet media attention. Suddenly, everyone was talking about John Krasinski being the next Batman.
According to actor, writer, and host Mike Kalinowski, who commented on the post, this is how no-basis rumors start, with prominent entities failing to provide context and clickbait websites spreading such rumors to get traction. Truth be told, many online news outlets even started publishing that John Krasinski is ready to suit up for the next Batman movie, raising the fandom’s expectations further and adding more fuel to the wildfires of misinformation.
That is, until James Gunn publicly disproved the rumors by stating that DC still doesn’t even have a script for the movie, let alone a cast, which would’ve been impossible with the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. So, it would seem that John Krasinski isn’t playing Batman, at least not in any project that has been associated with the newly formed DC Universe. However, that doesn’t mean that he isn’t potentially involved with the film.
There’s still much we don’t know about the upcoming The Brave and the Bold movie, apart from the fact that it’s based on Grant Morrison’s comic book run — which ironically isn’t a part of the original Brave and the Bold comic book run. More specifically, the film will focus on the Batman & Son storyline, in which Bruce Wayne first learns of Damien, a son he has with Talia al Ghul. As Damien becomes Robin later on, this might be the first time we see a Robin suit-up in a live-action movie since 1997’s Batman & Robin with George Clooney and Chris O’Donnell.
But the Batman & Son story actually features the Joker. While Krasinski’s involvement with The Brave and the Bold still hasn’t been confirmed, the fandom has given their fan-casted votes to Krasinski to portray the Clown Prince of Crime for quite some time now — even before the rumors of him as Batman started. So, while we’re still in the realm of speculation here, and nothing has been confirmed, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Krasinski might be involved with the next Batman film — as the Joker.
To be entirely honest, his roles in The Office, Jack Ryan, and A Quiet Place have demonstrated Krasinski’s acting prowess and his performance ability having the emotional depth to tackle diverse roles in a very convincing manner. This versatility could help the actor interpret a dark, brooding side of the Caped Crusader, the charm and wit of Bruce Wayne, or the insanity of Jack Oswald White — which is Joker’s real name, according to DC Comics.
Furthermore, as DC Comics and the DC Universe continue to evolve, there’s actually a growing trend towards portraying the Caped Crusader as a more experienced and mature character. This would make Krasinski into the perfect Batman. He’s in his early 40s, and his dedication to transforming his physique for past roles, including 13 Hours, could certainly help him achieve the imposing physical presence required for the portrayal of battle-hardened Batman.
And in the end, let’s not underestimate the power of fan appeal. Sure, Gunn stated that the role hadn’t been cast yet, but with Krasinski amassing a dedicated fan base from his previous work, casting him as Batman could potentially generate a lot of excitement among Batman enthusiasts.
Whether John Krasinski ends up donning the mantle of Gotham’s Caped Crusader remains to be seen, but there’s no denying that the potential for his casting is an exciting prospect for the fans of both Krasinski and Batman.