James Gunn is on such a generational run of epic f*ckery that, as soon as word got out about “Supergirl” bombing, he sent out his sidekick, Peter Safran, to make a damage-control statement to the New York Times. Then someone from his team allegedly leaked the name of the next Batman to journalist John Campea, just to build up some buzz—any buzz—around the DCU.
Yesterday, Campea claimed that Gunn’s DCU had cast its Batman, with an actor already onboard for the planned “The Brave and the Bold” movie, a Batman/Robin team-up flick, even though Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” sequel is coming out next year, and the risk for over-saturation is very much there.
Campea said, “It’s not a name I would have guessed,” but added that he had verified it with several well-positioned sources. In the wake of that, English actor Tom Brittney’s name began circulating across social media as the actor Campea was hinting at.
Brittney, known for “Grantchester,” currently appearing in “The Westies” and the upcoming “Fall 2: Deadpoint,” was actually a finalist for Gunn’s “Superman” before losing the role to David Corenswet. Nicholas Hoult was reportedly the third actor in contention.
Of course, no confirmation, this is just a rumor, for now, but Gunn has previously called Brittney “truly one of my favourite actors, incredibly talented guy.”
Officially, Andy Muschietti is still attached to direct “The Brave and the Bold,” but many have speculated about his potential exit ever since the failure of “The Flash,” especially after the DCU’s total 180 as it heads in a completely different direction under Gunn’s leadership.
Christina Hodson wrote the latest draft of “The Brave and the Bold,” and I keep hearing that Gunn is actually considering replacing Muschietti… with himself. Yes, Gunn is apparently tempted to direct the DCU’s Batman movie after helming the first two “Superman” films. Might as well take this ship down while you’re fully at the wheel.
Gunn has previously called Batman his “biggest issue” in the DCU and spoken at length about how difficult it is to develop a version of the character that feels distinct enough from Reeves’ vision. He has stressed that Batman needs a genuine reason to exist within the universe and can’t simply be there because he’s a popular character.
No release date has been set for “The Brave and the Bold” just yet. From what I gather, “Wonder Woman” will shoot first, sometime in 2027, before Gunn greenlights his Batman movie.
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