Highlights
- James Gunn should consider casting lesser-known actors for the role of Batman in his upcoming DC Universe movie, as it can bring something fresh and unexpected to the character.
- Casting lesser-known actors can lead to more passionate performances, as they are driven by their love for the role rather than fame and money.
- The success of Marvel's casting of lesser-known actors, such as Tom Holland as Spider-Man and Chris Hemsworth as Thor, shows that it can result in memorable and acclaimed portrayals of iconic characters.
James Gunn is hard at work setting up his version of the cinematic DC Universe. He's already found his Superman and Lois Lane, despite Creature Commandos, an animated series, coming out first and acting as the introduction to the DCU. Once Superman: Legacy, the true beginning of the DCU, hits theaters, it will be time for James Gunn to find his Batman for The Brave and the Bold movie.
While everyone is out there sharing their fan casts for the next person to be Gotham's protector, James Gunn should look at lesser-known actors who can fill the shoes. It might be a little harder than it was for the roles of Clark Kent and Lois Lane since Gunn stated he wants Batman to be older than Superman, but the challenge is half the fun. Right, James?
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Batman has Been Played by Big Stars
When fans go back and look at the long line of actors who earned the opportunity to play the Dark Knight in live-action, it's a character played almost exclusively by big Hollywood names. Even Adam West and Michael Keaton were pretty well known by the time they donned the cape and cowl. They might not have had the same star power as the likes of Christian Bale or Ben Affleck at the time, but they weren't complete nobodies. As more Batman movies came out, however, the studios chose increasingly popular actors for each outing.
Val Kilmer filled the cowl after Michael Keaton left, and he was already a star with Top Gun, Willow, The Doors, and Tombstone under his belt. Immediately after that, George Clooney gave the character a shot in Batman and Robin, and everyone knew who George Clooney was at the time. Was he the best Batman? No, but that's beside the point.
More recently, superstars Ben Affleck and Robert Pattinson took on the role. Like it or hate it, audiences know Pattinson from his breakout role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight series. Besides some of the animated iterations of the character, only well-known actors have played Batman. The DCU has a chance to give something fresh to fans by tapping a relatively unknown actor for the role.
Superman's Actor is Relatively Unknown
Besides actors such as John Cena as Peacemaker and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, it looks like Gunn is sticking with untapped talent to fill the roles of the Justice League members. Superman: Legacy's David Corenswet is a complete stranger to general audiences. He has an extensive resume, but nothing that people can point to and say, "Yeah, that guy." Unknown actors don't lack talent. In fact, David Corenswet has been acting since he was nine years old and graduated from Juilliard in 2016. He knows the ins and outs of the craft.
Those little-known actors who still have to audition and fight for their roles have more passion at times than the seasoned vets. They don't look at it only as a paycheck. Maybe it's idealistic, but that's what fans want to see from their superheroes. They want to see them enjoy the role because of the role, not because of the fame and money. Corenswet is on record talking about the things he loves about Superman, pointing out that the character's invulnerability is what makes him interesting and how he wants to see a bright and optimistic version of the character. That's the kind of passion an actor should have for the role.
Casting Lesser-Known Actors has Paid Off
Over on the Marvel side of things, the studio took a chance on two lesser-known actors for two of its biggest characters. When whispers of Spider-Man joining the MCU spread across the internet, everyone wondered who could play him. Many big names emerged at the time, but Marvel went in the opposite direction everyone was thinking and chose an actor most people didn't recognize. Before Captain America: Civil War, Holland only had nine credits to his name and a couple of them were shorts or brief appearances on television. He proved to be a talented actor who brought the character to life and joined Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as a memorable Spider-Man.
Marvel did the same with Thor, tapping an unknown actor for the part. Chris Hemsworth had a few more acting credits than Holland by the time he picked up Mjolnir, including a brief appearance in J.J. Abrams's Star Trek where he played George Kirk, James T. Kirk's father. It played a small but significant role in the film. Thor put Hemsworth on the map. Joss Whedon eventually chose Hemsworth to star in Cabin in the Woods, which saw a significant amount of praise. The Australian actor continued finding role after role in movies such as Snow White and the Huntsman and Rush. The fan response to his portrayal of Thor earned him more solo outings than any of the other Avengers.