Skip to main content
Games Radar Newsarama Total Film Edge Retro Gamer SFX
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The smarter take on movies
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
The Midnight Meat Train
DC Movies James Gunn confirms he considered Bradley Cooper for Lex Luthor in Superman before casting Nicholas Hoult
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and David Corenswet as Superman
DC Movies Lex Luthor actor Nicholas Hoult says it wasn't "about trying to do something different" with his iconic Superman villain: "It's nice that they've got such legacy"
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor
DC Movies Superman's Lex Luthor star wants to team up with The Joker in a future DCU movie
Superman 2 concept art by Jim Lee showing Superman holding a screwdriver and buddying up to Lex Luthor, who is clad in his purple and green battle armor
DC Movies DC boss James Gunn says Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow will begin filming soon: "Lex Luthor and Superman have to work together against a much bigger threat"
Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and Superman (David Corenswet) standing next to wreckage in Metropolis in Superman
DC Movies Superman 2 may not officially be Superman 2, but James Gunn assures fans that the Man of Steel will still be "an important element" in the follow-up: "It's within the group of characters we've already met"
Superman
DC Movies James Gunn gives cryptic answer when asked about a Superman sequel, and I'm pretty sure I know what he's hinting at
David Corenswet as Superman
Superhero Movies Superman star David Corenswet isn't sure if his character "knows of" the "existence" of the DCU's Batman yet
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor in Superman
Superhero Movies Superman star Nicholas Hoult sized up David Corenswet after auditioning for the role himself and knew he was "perfect for it"
Superman 2 concept art by Jim Lee showing Superman holding a screwdriver and buddying up to Lex Luthor, who is clad in his purple and green battle armor
DC Movies Superman 2 Man of Tomorrow release date, cast, plot and trailer speculation: Everything we know about the DCU movie
David Corenswet as Superman
Superhero Movies Superman fans are discussing who should play Brainiac in James Gunn's DCU, and they're looking at actors who embody the character's "cold calculating voice" and "alien intelligence"
Superman 2 concept art by Jim Lee showing Superman holding a screwdriver and buddying up to Lex Luthor, who is clad in his purple and green battle armor
DC Movies Superman 2 is coming sooner than you think as James Gunn announces the official title and release date while teasing a Superman/Lex Luthor team-up
David Corenswet as Superman
Superhero Movies James Gunn called on his Guardians of the Galaxy actor Bradley Cooper for a surprise Superman role because he needed someone who "could walk in the footsteps of Marlon Brando"
Superman
DC Movies Every comic book character in Superman, listed in order of appearance in James Gunn's new movie
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor
DC Movies The many lives of Lex Luthor: The comic book history of Superman's arch enemy
Superman mural DCU
Superhero Movies James Gunn says Superman's hero-filled mural contains two characters that are "important" in an unknown DC script
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Action Movies

15 Actors For Batman Vs Superman

Features
By Sam Ashurst published 25 July 2013

Batman, and Lex - we cast the key roles in Man Of Steel 2...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Jake Gyllenhaal - Batman

Jake Gyllenhaal - Batman

Why: Originally shortlisted for Batman Begins (he made it to the final five - alongside a certain Mr Cavill), we imagine Nolan's still got his number.

And if he and Henry hit it off in those early auditions, we imagine he's a shoe-in.

Why Not: Prince Of Persia wasn't exactly a classic, so there's a chance Jake might not want to do another tent-pole flick.

But we reckon this could be the project to change his mind.

Page 1 of 15
Page 1 of 15
Ryan Gosling - Batman

Ryan Gosling - Batman

Why: He's proven he can balance charm and menace in Drive , and isn't his character in Crazy Stupid Love essentially an extreme version of Bruce Wayne's douchebag persona?

Why Not: He's steered away from franchise flicks so far in his career, coming closest with the oh-god-make-it-stop Gangster Squad . We reckon he'll stick to indie movies for a long while yet.

Page 2 of 15
Page 2 of 15
Josh Brolin - Batman

Josh Brolin - Batman

Why: He's got the chin, the voice and the presence. He's so perfect we think he actually might be Batman.

Why Not: At 45 he might be a bit too old for the Bat-universe - after all, Bale was 37 when he played a worn-out Bats in Rises .

Also, he's doing tough and grizzled in another upcoming comic-book movie, A Dame To Kill For .

Page 3 of 15
Page 3 of 15
Karl Urban - Batman

Karl Urban - Batman

Why: Let's face it, stick a Bat-cowl onto Karl's head in Dredd and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

He's got the charm and charisma for Wayne, too.

Basically, put a contract in front of this man right now.

Why Not: We literally can't think of a single reason.

Page 4 of 15
Page 4 of 15
Jeffrey Dean Morgan - Batman

Jeffrey Dean Morgan - Batman

Why: Snyder's Watchmen improves every time we watch it, and Dean Morgan is a big part of that.

He's got a great relationship with Zack, he'd look good in the costume, and we can hear his Bat-voice already.

Why Not: DC may not want to cross-universes - especially if they ever plan to expand that universe with a Before Watchmen franchise (which we'd actually be up for, believe it or not).

Page 5 of 15
Page 5 of 15
Richard Madden - Batman

Richard Madden - Batman

Why: Snyder's looked to the telly before, casting Cavill straight from The Tudors . As he's a fan of that show, we can't see why he wouldn't watch Game Of Thrones.

And if he does, he'd know that - spoiler alert - Madden has a free schedule.

Why Not: We'd need to hear his accent first, we're not sure we're ready for a Northern Bats. "Back urf Serpermaaaan."

Page 6 of 15
Page 6 of 15
Armie Hammer

Armie Hammer

Why: He's been cast as the character in the past - in George Miller's aborted Justice League - so he's clearly got the right chin. But does he have the right attitude?

Why Not: It sounds as though Armie's a Marvel man. When asked if he'd want to be a part of the new Justice League , he said: "I don't know… It doesn't seem like it would be executed as well as Marvel's done theirs."

Fair enough Mr Hammer. We look forward to seeing you in Lone Ranger 2 . Or Ant Man . It'll probably be Ant Man .

Page 7 of 15
Page 7 of 15
Richard Armitage - Batman

Richard Armitage - Batman

Why: A fan favourite choice, we can see why. He's got the looks, the gruffness and he was in another huge fan-folk franchise as a bad-ass warrior, so he's fighting fit.

Why Not: This is actually a really good shout. Our only worry is that Warner Bros. may not want to cross their fantasy streams, keeping Armitage in his Thorin gear in case of future Hall H schedule clashes.

Page 8 of 15
Page 8 of 15
Christian Bale - Batman

Christian Bale - Batman

Why: Do we really need to go into it?

Why Not: He's gone on record to state that Batman's behind him - but we remember when he said he'd chain himself to a fence and refuse to go to work if Robin appeared in Nolan's universe, and we all know how that went down.

Rises had him hanging up his cape, but Wayne's come out of retirement before, why not Bale?

Page 9 of 15
Page 9 of 15
Jon Hamm - Batman

Jon Hamm - Batman

Why: Every time there's a Batman reboot on the cards, Hamm's name comes up. We can see why; Don Draper = Batman - the costume + a drink problem.

Why Not: We can see him in a Kingdom Come adaptation, or even a Dark Knight Returns direct adaptation, but in Batman Vs Superman he'd probably look like Cavill's dad.

Page 10 of 15
Page 10 of 15
Mads Mikkelsen - Lex Luthor

Mads Mikkelsen - Lex Luthor

Why: Another small screen villain who's currently sending people behind their sofas, Mads' Hannibal is actually a fairly good template for Lex. His heart is so soaked in evil he'd probably enjoy eating it without gravy - and yet he's able to operate in society, even working with the police to catch people like him.

With Lex surely teaming up with the government in Batman Vs Superman to take down Kal-El, this portrayal would definitely work.

Why Not: Lex is a symbol for American corporate greed, so Mads would need to work on his accent - a European Luthor might not work as well. We're sure he could pull it off though.

Page 11 of 15
Page 11 of 15
Bryan Cranston - Lex Luthor

Bryan Cranston - Lex Luthor

Why: When it comes to small screen villainy, they don't get much better than Bryan. And he looks good bald. And with Breaking Bad wrapping up, he'll have time for a franchise.

Why Not: Like Karl Urban before him, not a single thing.

Page 12 of 15
Page 12 of 15
Gerard Butler - Lex Luthor

Gerard Butler - Lex Luthor

Why: With Bruce and Clark laying into each other, any bad-guy in the mix has to be able to hold their own in a scrap. Enter stage-left Gerard Butler, bellowing THIS IS METROPOLIS, and kicking Batman out of a window.

Why Not: We're not sure we can imagine a hairless Butler. It's… disturbing.

Page 13 of 15
Page 13 of 15
Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch

Why: We were actually torn with Cumberbatch; we were almost tempted to put him into the Batman box (after all, isn't Sherlock just a cape-less Batman with slightly better social skills?) but we can't resist casting him as the villain after his stunning Star Trek turn.

With his Hobbit turns in the can, Warners have him on the books..

Why Not: He might not want to cut off that lovely hair. And rightly so.

Page 14 of 15
Page 14 of 15
Leonardo DiCaprio - Lex Luthor

Leonardo DiCaprio - Lex Luthor

Why: If he could convey half the menace of Calvin Candie, then combine it with his sleazeball businessman persona in Wolf Of Wall Street, we'll be onto a winner.

Why Not: DiCaps seems to only pick roles that'll allow him to win that ever-elusive Oscar these days. We expect him to save the blockbusters until after he's got a golden baldie in his bathroom.

Page 15 of 15
Page 15 of 15
Sam Ashurst
Social Links Navigation

Sam Ashurst is a London-based film maker, journalist, and podcast host. He's the director of Frankenstein's Creature, A Little More Flesh + A Little More Flesh 2, and co-hosts the Arrow Podcast. His words have appeared on HuffPost, MSN, The Independent, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, and many more, as well as of course for us here at GamesRadar+.

See more Movies Features
Read more
The Midnight Meat Train
James Gunn confirms he considered Bradley Cooper for Lex Luthor in Superman before casting Nicholas Hoult
 
 
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and David Corenswet as Superman
Lex Luthor actor Nicholas Hoult says it wasn't "about trying to do something different" with his iconic Superman villain: "It's nice that they've got such legacy"
 
 
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor
Superman's Lex Luthor star wants to team up with The Joker in a future DCU movie
 
 
Superman 2 concept art by Jim Lee showing Superman holding a screwdriver and buddying up to Lex Luthor, who is clad in his purple and green battle armor
DC boss James Gunn says Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow will begin filming soon: "Lex Luthor and Superman have to work together against a much bigger threat"
 
 
Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and Superman (David Corenswet) standing next to wreckage in Metropolis in Superman
Superman 2 may not officially be Superman 2, but James Gunn assures fans that the Man of Steel will still be "an important element" in the follow-up: "It's within the group of characters we've already met"
 
 
Superman
James Gunn gives cryptic answer when asked about a Superman sequel, and I'm pretty sure I know what he's hinting at
 
 
Latest in Action Movies
Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob in One Battle After Another
One Battle After Another review: "One of the best studio movies in years and an instant classic"
 
 
Jack Black and Paul Rudd in Anaconda
Jack Black and Paul Rudd head out into the jungle to find a giant killer snake in meta first trailer for Anaconda
 
 
Fantastic Four First Steps ending
Fantastic Four gag reel shows a whole new side to Marvel's First Family: "How do you say 'Oh f*ck' in Marvel land?"
 
 
still from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings trailer
Shang-Chi star Simu Liu shares Avengers: Doomsday behind-the-scenes picture – but Marvel isn't letting anything slip by this time
 
 
Reed and Sue in the Fantastic Four movie
Marvel reveals The Fantastic Four: First Steps deleted scenes that you'll soon be able to watch at home, including Thanksgiving and birthday moments
 
 
Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in F1
Apple CEO says a sequel to the Brad Pitt box office hit F1: The Movie is "definitely" being discussed: "We can't wait to bring it to the surface"
 
 
Latest in Features
Demon Slayer Infinity Castle
Anime is officially mainstream after Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, but where does it go from here?
 
 
Chance Perdomo in Gen V
Is Chance Perdomo in Gen V season 2? How The Boys spin-off pays tribute
 
 
Assassin's Creed Shadows
Assassin's Creed Shadows' new DLC weapon transforms Naoe into a samurai-bashing machine, and I'll never use anything else
 
 
Asa Germann as Sam Riordan in Gen V season 2
Gen V season 2 proves you can go bigger and bolder without relying on shock value, and The Boys' final season could learn a lot from the spin-off
 
 
Borderlands 4 tips picture showing enemies drawn into a singularity vortex while the player watches
Borderlands 4 does what Destiny couldn't: I'm finally back on the looter shooter train, and it feels like reliving my 60 hours in Borderlands 2
 
 
The key art for Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight showing a shadowed Batman superimposed in front of a neon and spotlight lit Gotham City
I briefly mistook the new Lego Batman for modded Arkham footage, genuinely bamboozling me while making me more excited for the game than ever
 
 
  1. Key art for Lego Voyagers showing the two lego heroes with red and blue brick eyes near a rocket
    1
    Lego Voyagers review: "A carefully crafted, playful, and earnest adventure"
  2. 2
    There's now a real version of the Witcher Gwent card game, and it's just as engrossing as the original
  3. 3
    Borderlands 4 review: "Undeniably an excellent looter shooter, but one that requires a bit of tunnel vision to fully enjoy"
  4. 4
    This enormous exploration board game won't be for everyone, but it's a masterclass in narrative and sandbox gameplay
  5. 5
    Hollow Knight Silksong review: "Worth the wait and then some, this isn't just more Hollow Knight but an evolved, spindly beast all its own – even if it's fiddly at times"
  1. Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob in One Battle After Another
    1
    One Battle After Another review: "One of the best studio movies in years and an instant classic"
  2. 2
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  3. 3
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  4. 4
    The Long Walk review: "One of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made"
  5. 5
    Frankenstein review: "A classy, if somewhat safe, adaptation"
  1. The cast of Gen V season 2
    1
    Gen V season 2 review: "As strong as the first season, if not stronger"
  2. 2
    Wednesday season 2 part 2 review: "Ortega shines, but it's a zombie who steals the entire show"
  3. 3
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."
  4. 4
    Wednesday season 2 part 1 review: "Complex and exciting but weighed down by too many subplots"
  5. 5
    Alien: Earth review: "Arguably the franchise's strongest outing since James Cameron's Aliens"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...