Jake Gyllenhaal is one of those many actors who has been a part of the superhero franchise, even if it was for a brief time. He has portrayed numerous characters in his career spanning more than three decades. From hero to villain to something in between, the actor has proved his versatility with movies like Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain, and Okja.
Gyllenhaal is no stranger to the superhero genre. He played the role of the comic book villain Quentin Beck, better known as Mysterio, in the 2019 movie Spider-Man: Far From Home. This time the actor has his eyes set on the DC Comics superhero Batman. However, he seems to be better suited for the role of Joker based on his performance in the 2014 movie Nightcrawler.
Jake Gyllenhaal Wants to Portray the DC Superhero Batman
Jake Gyllenhaal began acting when he was a child. He debuted with a role in 1991’s Western comedy City Slickers. His breakthrough came in 1999 with the role of Homer Hickman in the movie October Sky, followed by his portrayal of a psychologically troubled teenager in Donnie Darko.
Over the years, numerous adaptations have been made of the DC Comic superhero Batman. From Michael Keaton and George Clooney to Ben Affleck and Robert Pattinson, some of the best Hollywood actors have portrayed the character. Gyllenhaal was also considered for the role in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, but it went to Christian Bale at the time.
Even now, when asked if he would like to portray the Caped Crusader, the Love & Other Drugs star told Screen Rant:
“Oh, man. That’s a classic. It’s an honor. […] It would be an honor always. Those types of things and those roles are classics.”
The actor explained how he finds it intimidating to play characters that have been portrayed by other actors before. Despite this, if given the chance, he would not pass it up. James Gunn’s DCU has a Batman movie in the works so Gyllenhaal might have a chance after all.
Jake Gyllenhaal Might Make a Good Joker
Known for his chaos, unpredictability, and dark humor, Joker is one of the most beloved DC supervillains. Over the years, it has been established that portraying Joker is probably one of the toughest jobs when it comes to playing a villain due to his psychologically complex character.
Jake Gyllenhaal’s experience in playing Louis Bloom, a complex and morally ambiguous character, in 2014’s Nightcrawler makes him a good fit for the portrayal of The Clown Prince of Crime. Numerous actors including Gyllenhaal’s Brokeback Mountain co-star Heath Ledger have played the character. The ultimate decision obviously lies in the hands of the Road House actor and the makers of the next movie that would feature Joker.
