Over the years, Milo Ventimiglia has become a high-profile television star. He got his start as Jess on Gilmore Girls, before playing Peter Petrelli on Heroes, and has since gained critical acclaim for playing Jack Pearson on This is Us. Could the actor join the big leagues as one of Hollywood’s big-screen superheroes? He did voice Wolverine for a TV series, and he does have a certain gruffness about him that may have placed him in the running for the Dark Knight. Here’s what he said about Batman:
Do I see myself in a cape and cowl? Warner Bros. didn’t… They were looking for a new Batman, and they said, 'Ventimiglia, you're too old.'
Yikes! Looks like the 42-year-old actor tried his hand at trying out for the next Batman and was shut away due to his age. He is a few years younger than the previous Batman, Ben Affleck, who is 46. Warner Bros. went with 33-year-old Robert Pattinson for the upcoming Matt Reeves helmed film.
Don’t take it personally, Milo Ventimiglia, early reports indicated the director was looking for a younger Bruce Wayne after Affleck brought a more seasoned hero in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Ventimiglia continued with Variety and iHeart’s podcast The Big Ticket:
It’s okay. It doesn’t matter. By the way, I’m kind of busy, it's okay. And I'm [still] a fan. I've always been a fan of Batman.
It’s good to hear the actor has a level head about the whole thing. Especially considering he just started back up filming This is Us for its upcoming fourth season and will be in attendance for September’s Emmys for his third nomination for Lead Actor in a Drama Series, alongside his co-star Sterling K. Brown, Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington, Ozark’s Jason Bateman, Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk, and Pose’s Billy Porter.
The actor also has an upcoming summer movie coming to theaters, The Art of Racing in the Rain. The drama follows Milo Ventimiglia’s Denny with his dog Enzo (Kevin Costner) as he goes through his race car driver career and falls in love and starts a family with Eve (Amanda Seyfried).
Perhaps he saved himself a headache anyway! Just about every actor who has been cast as the Dark Knight has been largely criticized for it before even suiting up in the cape and cowl. Robert Pattinson has certainly already seen his share of backlash, as many movie fans best know him for his role as Edward Cullen in Twilight.
Matt Reeves’ The Batman does have some promise! The summer 2021 release is written/directed by an established creative eye who has done Cloverfield, Let Me In and the two most recent Planet of the Apes films. It has been described as a noir tale, featuring Bruce Wayne’s detective skills and a rogues gallery of villains. Composer and friend to Reeves, Michael Giacchino called what he’s seen of the project so far is “pretty darn awesome”!
Would you have been excited to see Milo Ventimiglia as Batman? Let us know in the comments below.
