The superhero genre continues to be a wildly powerful force in the entertainment industry, with various studios crafting their own cinematic universe to compete for box office supremacy. A new DC Universe is being formed by CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, which means that various beloved heroes and villains can be recast. And after seeing fan art of Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Batman, I want him in that role more than his rumored gig as James Bond.
The release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom marked the end of the DCEU, which can be streamed with a Max subscription. As such, fans are wondering which actors might be introduced throughout Phase One of the new DCU, titled Gods and Monsters. A new Batman is expected to be introduced in The Brave and The Bold, but it's unclear who might take the role. Fan art from Instagram imagined Kraven actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and he looks killer suited up. Check it out below:
I mean, come on now. You can't deny that the Kick-Ass star looks awesome in Batman's signature suit. Although I'd also love to see what he might look like under the cowl as well. We'll just have to see who actually gets the role.
The above image shows the wildly handsome actor's face put on Batman's body, and he definitely looks like he could pull off playing playboy Bruce Wayne. And with a number of comic book projects under his belt like playing Quicksilver in the MCU, he clearly knows his way around genre work.
It's unclear who the DCU's Batman will be, but The Brave and The Bold will see him paired with his son/Robin Damian Wayne. And they'll have some big shoes to fill after acclaimed performances by Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, and Robert Pattinson.
Of course, Aaron Taylor-Johnson already has a major comic book role coming to theaters. He's playing the title character of Kraven the Hunter, an iconic villain from Spider-Man lore. Taylor-Johnson has gotten seriously ripped for the role, so maybe he can use that hulking physique and his experience with action sequences to bring the Dark Knight to life in the new DCU.
That being said, the entertainment industry seems to think that the Avengers: Age of Ultron actor is going to be the actor to replace Daniel Craig in the role of James Bond. If he actually signs on the dotted line, this would presumably prevent him from taking on another franchise role like Batman. But there still hasn't been any official confirmation from the studio, so the rumors will likely continue swirling for the foreseeable future.
The DCU will begin with James Gunn's Superman July 11th, 2025. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
