Josh Brolin on almost playing Batman in Batman v Superman: "That would have been a fun deal"

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"That wasn't my decision"

Josh Brolin in Dune
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Josh Brolin has spoken out about almost being cast as Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

The actor – who was in consideration for an older take on the Dark Knight before Ben Affleck ultimately got the gig – said on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast that he was game but, ultimately, was out of his hands.

Batman seemingly appealed to Brolin’s all-or-nothing risk-taking style. He explained, "Because something that is set up to not work at all or to work flyingly, I like those odds. I like playing with those odds. I'm like, 'Am I the guy who's gonna make it all fail?'" Brolin also said his version of Batman would have been "older [and] more raspy." 

However, he isn’t ruling out putting on the cape and cowl down the line. He joked: "Honestly, that would have been a fun deal and maybe I'll do it one day when I'm 80."

For now, the Bat-space is a little bit crowded. Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader proved a box office success in The Batman. The man who took the baton from Brolin – Ben Affleck – is also set to appear alongside fellow cinematic Batman actor Michael Keaton in The Flash. The DC movie, starring Ezra Miller as the Scarlet Speedster, has recently been delayed – and is now dated for June 23, 2023. For more on DC’s upcoming slate, be sure to check out our guide to new superhero movies.

Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.