The DC Universe is facing the heat, with new “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” casting rumors riling up fans just as “Supergirl” is having an underwhelming box office performance.
While rumors should always be taken with a grain of salt, since they’re unconfirmed, an online source of various superhero scoops, MyTimeToShine, posted on X that the next actor to portray Batman will be 35-year-old Tom Brittney.
The English actor might be unfamiliar to some, but he’s well known for his role in “Grantchester,” a British ITV detective drama set in the 1950s and 60s. In addition, he’s appeared in the 2020 American war film “Greyhound,” which starred Tom Hanks, and in “Back in Action,” the Netflix movie starring Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz.
Speculation about his casting began with comments from John Campea, known as a reliable source for movie casting rumors. In a viral video clip, he says he believed he knew the actor’s name for the DCU’s new Batman, but wouldn’t divulge who it was.
“I’m not going to say it right now, but I will say this. It’s not a name I would have guessed,” Campea said in his video regarding the new Batman actor’s identity.
That prompted MyTimeToShine to share Campea’s clip with the comment, “It’s true, it’s Tom,” referring to Brittney.
Fans expressed mixed reactions to viral X posts, which passed off the rumor as casting news. Many commenters expressed frustration with James Gunn, suggesting he isn’t doing a great job rebooting the DCU since taking over several years ago.
“At this point, just let Disney buy D-Sik and let the guys at Marvel take things over. This is such a disaster. It’s making me truly hate James Gunn and I don’t hate anyone,” one commenter wrote, replying to a viral X post.
“I was already not sold on @JamesGunn’s take in Batman with The Brave and the Bold, if this rumor is true? I’m beyond out. I don’t like this AT ALL. And I’m not liking where this new DCU is going,” another X commenter said.
“If this is true this will be peak bro has the perfect height and age,” another commenter said, seeming to favor the actor.
Another X commenter wrote, “i don’t hate this casting if i’m being honest. Looks kinda like David Corenswet and knowing the dynamic between Bruce and Clark in the comics and animated series, that works out pretty good.”
DC Comics’ Batman is one of the most beloved and popular superheroes, along with Marvel’s Spider-Man, and getting the actor right for the part on the big screen is generally a massive feat.
It’s also highly subjective, as many fans continually applaud the first-ever pick, Michael Keaton. Later, fans either loved or hated Christian Bale in the Christopher Nolan trilogy.
Ben Affleck portrayed the Caped Crusader in several previous films as part of Zach Snyder’s DCU. More recently, Warner Bros. and DC Films had a standalone film, “The Batman,” directed by Matt Reeves and featuring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Pattinson will reprise his role in Reeves’ “The Batman: Part II” set for an early October 2027 release. That provides a bit of on-screen continuity for the most recent Batman actor, but introducing another within a few years could be rough.
There is still a strong argument to be made about superhero fatigue. While some moviegoers might never tire of rushing to theaters to check out the latest DC or Marvel films, it appears DC is struggling more and more to establish its actors and superheroes for fans to root for.
While this isn’t a knock against Brittney, who isn’t confirmed yet as playing Batman, it is a criticism of continually bringing in new actors to portray a popular superhero and expecting fans to latch on loyally. However, the new film could also be the fresh reboot many fans were hoping for, so the jury remains out until there is further news and footage to suggest otherwise.
“Batman: The Brave and the Bold” will be directed by Andy Muschietti, with speculation that the Warner Bros. film will be released in theaters before 2030.