The character of Batman is revered by fans of DC Comics. One of the rare heroes, who possesses no extraordinary ability or powers, but can still hold his own against the most dangerous villains, Batman brings the much-needed human touch to the world of superheroes. Over so many decades since the inception of this character, it has been adapted into live-action as well as animation multiple times, with actors who associated themselves with the character, gaining widespread fame.
Jensen Ackles is no stranger to the world of glitz and glamour and found fame with his role as Dean Winchester in The CW series, Supernatural. He became a fan-favorite actor, whose name was often mentioned in the same sentence as that of Batman. And fans’ wishes came true when Ackles was cast to voice Batman in the critically acclaimed animated movie, Batman: The Long Halloween.
Jensen Ackles Proved Fans Right With Excellent Performance as Batman in The Long Halloween
Back when Zack Snyder was casting the role of Batman for his Snyderverse, and Batfleck was yet to be selected, many fans wanted Jensen Ackles to take in the role of the Caped Crusader. But it was not his time yet, and it took a few more years, and a lot of fans’ manifestation, before Ackles was announced as the voice of Batman for The Long Halloween movies.
And fans were right, as he fit right into the character. His performance as the stoic but exceptional Bruce Wayne/Batman was loved by fans and critics alike, as both Part 1 and 2 of The Long Halloween have an audience score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie has exceptional storytelling, which is reiterated by Troy Baker, a legend in the gaming and animation world. Baker, who voiced Joker in the animated movie opposite Ackles, praised the actor for his amazing performance. In a conversation with ComingSoon, Baker said:
One of my favorite lines in this was not one of mine, honestly. And it was one that I really struggled with at first. And it’s a real credit to Jensen and his performance because he made me wrestle with it. And then he made me realize it’s true.
Baker further added:
He says, “I never knew that I would have to become a detective.” And I’m like, I was like, “Wait a minute!” Like I literally pressed pause and was like, “Hold on a second. It’s Batman, the world’s greatest detective. Like he’s Sherlock Holmes in black. This is what he’s supposed to be.” And I realized in this is that he had to become that. And that, to me, makes it even more of a compelling story.
The Supernatural star went on to reprise the role of Batman in three other animations – Legion of Super-Heroes, Justice League: Warworld, and Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths. Now fans are once again humming a similar tune, as they want James Gunn to cast Ackles as Bruce Wayne/Batman in his DCU.
James Gunn Would Make a Lot of Fans Happy With a Jensen Ackles Transition From Animation to Live-Action
James Gunn, who rebooted the DC movieverse/Snyderverse, is currently busy with the filming of the first live-action project of the DCU. Starring David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent, the upcoming movie Superman is set to release in 2025. But in the meantime, Gunn is also keeping a lookout for the next member of the DC Holy Trinity – Batman. The character, tho might not make an appearance in Superman, like fans want, will definitely join the DCU with The Brave and the Bold – another project set in DCU’s Chapter 1.
And fans are once again humming the same tune they did during Batfleck casting as well as when Matt Reeves’ Elseworld project was announced. Although both times Jensen Ackles was left behind in the race, the opportunity was given to actors who did complete justice to the character of Batman – Ben Affleck and Robert Pattinson. But with yet another project in the works, fans think Ackles has shown his mettle and already proved that he can be a perfect Batman, with his animated movies.
Maybe it’s time Gunn considered this transition from animation to live-action and give Jensen Ackles the chance to become Batman in the DCU. With his grounded yet over-the-top performance in The Boys as Soldier Boy, he has also shown that he can be a pretty good superhero. And he already has the Batman voice. So it would be a win-win in both scenarios.
