'Black Panther' Star Would Love To Play Batman

By Andrew Sanford | Film | May 6, 2024 |

By Andrew Sanford | Film | May 6, 2024 |

Batman is endlessly adaptable. You can take a man who dresses up as a bat to frighten criminals and drop him into any scenario or medium. Executives and editors have taken this notion to the extreme. If you look on the comic book shelves, the DC Comics section will be littered with the caped crusader, his bat family, or even his villains. Look to film or TV and you will see Warner Brothers cranking out everything from dark, gritty Batman tales to specials where the crimefighter teams with Scooby Doo.

Warner Brothers Discovery may even have two different live-action Batmen on screens simultaneously within the next few years, something that would have been unheard of even five years ago. The recent Robert Pattinson-starring The Batman is due to have a sequel. Meanwhile, James Gunn will be ushering in his DC Universe which will include its own version of Batman. That Batman will star in a movie currently titled The Brave And The Bold. It will focus on the family dynamic between Batman and his son, Damien Wayne, who takes up the mantle of Robin.

If Gunn has cast an actor to play Batman, that information is still private and may stay private for some time. Until then, there has been plenty of fan-casting. Many have speculated on who Gunn may cast, but no one has come out as a frontrunner (by rumor or popularity). However, one actor wants to be a part of the conversation, and he’s already voiced the masked vigilante.

Winston Duke is no stranger to comic book roles. He played adversary turned ally, M’Baku in the MCU. He quickly became a fan favorite. Later, he would voice Batman in the scripted podcast Batman: Unburied. Now Duke wants to bring his portrayal of Bruce Wayne to the big screen. Duke sat down with Slashfilm to talk about his role in The Fall Guy. When asked if he would want to play Batman for James Gunn’s DCU, he gave an enthusiastic response.

“Listen, man, can you start that,” Duke asked about a campaign to get him in the role. “I would say I challenge you to get on all these socials and push for me. Get your community. I would love to. I would love to do that as Batman. I’d love any opportunity to explore new characters, to change narratives around some of these entrenched ideas of how these characters are supposed to look, sound, and perform. I’m all for it.”

Batman has been portrayed as a Black man in the comics before. That has yet to happen in live-action. Duke would also bring an interesting softness to the role. Batman is often portrayed as grim and gritty, but so is his son, Damien Wayne. It would be interesting to see an actor like Duke, who could touch on a softer side, team up with a Robin out for blood because he was raised by assassins (long story). Time will tell who gets to wear the cape and cowl, but Duke would be a welcome choice.