James Gunn Shuts Down Jensen Ackles Batman Rumors After a Simple Instagram Follow Sparks Speculation
Few casting questions in the DCU generate as much chatter as who will play its Batman. The new universe already has its Superman, with David Corenswet kicking things off in 2025, reprising the role briefly in ‘Supergirl’ and returning for ‘Man of Tomorrow’ next year, but no actor has been announced for the Caped Crusader in ‘The Brave and the Bold’.
That vacuum has made Jensen Ackles one of the most popular fan picks. The ‘Supernatural’ and ‘The Boys’ star has been fan-cast as Batman for years, and he has already voiced the character in animated projects like ‘Batman: The Long Halloween’ and ‘Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths’.
This weekend, that speculation reached a new peak, only for James Gunn to put it to rest. After fan accounts noticed that Ackles had started following the DC Studios co-CEO on Instagram, one post claimed the actor had been cast in an unknown DCU role, but Gunn replied on Threads on October 4 that the studio hasn’t cast Ackles in anything.
Gunn’s response was relaxed but direct. He thanked the user for letting him know about the follow and said he planned to follow Ackles back. He also shared a little history between the 2. Gunn explained that he had only met Ackles once, about 20 years ago, when the actor was dating a friend of his, and described him as a nice guy.
Still, the bottom line was clear. Ackles has not been cast as Batman, or in any other role in the DCU. Fans had a reason to read into the follow. Several actors followed Gunn on Instagram before they were officially cast, both in the DCU and in other high-profile jobs.
But that pattern hasn’t always held. Grant Gustin also followed Gunn, sparking similar DCU speculation, and he never landed a role in the franchise. Gunn has repeatedly shown that he is willing to swat down false reports.
This is the second casting rumor he has knocked down in roughly a week, after he responded “No” to speculation that Matthew Lillard could play the Flash, and back in July, he shot down claims that DC Studios had secretly cast its Batman.
Ackles’ connection to Batman is real, even if a live-action DCU part isn’t. Beyond his voice work as the Dark Knight, he brought Jason Todd to life in ‘Batman: Under the Red Hood’. He also came close to playing Batman in live action once before. ‘Supernatural’ co-star Misha Collins revealed in March 2023 that Ackles nearly had a much bigger role in The CW’s ‘Gotham Knights’, but the plan fell through due to his busy schedule.
Ackles has openly said he would love to play Batman. As some commenters on Threads pointed out, though, plenty of actors say the same thing. Not every fan is giving up on seeing Ackles in the DCU. ComicBook.com noted that one of the biggest alternative ideas among fans is casting him as Deathstroke instead.
Jensen Ackles has started following James Gunn on Instagram. https://t.co/ZelLVrbhT8
— The Boys Out of Context Clips (@TheBoysOOCC) October 3, 2026
For now, ‘The Brave and the Bold’ remains without its leading man, and DC Studios has other priorities at the box office. ‘Clayface’, the horror-driven DC Studios film produced by Matt Reeves, opens October 23, with early tracking projecting a domestic debut of $23 million to $33 million.
What do you think about Jensen Ackles no longer being a likely Batman pick for the DCU?
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