Skip to main content
Games Radar Newsarama Total Film Edge Retro Gamer
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
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor in Superman
DC Movies Peacemaker fans think they've identified another Superman character cameo in season 2 from the episode 7 teaser
Batman
DC Movies James Gunn addresses Batman casting for The Brave and The Bold
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"
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
John Cena in Peacemaker season 2
DC TV Shows James Gunn reveals that major Peacemaker season 2 cameo was filmed during Superman, but "it instantly felt different"
Superman mural DCU
Superhero Movies James Gunn says Superman's hero-filled mural contains two characters that are "important" in an unknown DC script
Superman coming face to face with an eerie, inhuman version of Brainiac
DC Movies James Gunn has all but confirmed the villain of Superman 2, and it's exactly who we all expected
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
Robert Pattinson in The Batman
DC Movies James Gunn says The Brave and the Bold "isn't the furthest along" project in the DCU, and remains tight-lipped on Batman casting: "There's people out there I think about, but let's see where the script comes in"
Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and Superman (David Corenswet) standing next to wreckage in Metropolis in Superman
DC Movies A DC fan predicted James Gunn's exact Superman and Lois casting 1,721 days ago, because sometimes even mere mortals have the gift of prophecy
Superman and Lois
DC Movies Former Superman actor Tyler Hoechlin says Robert Pattinson is a "fantastic" Batman, but "selfishly" wants DC Studios to "leave the door open" for him to play the role in James Gunn's DCU
Joaquin Phoenix in Joker
DC Movies Clayface sure looks like it's setting up Joker in the DCU – with a modern twist on the iconic Batman villain
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and David Corenswet as Superman
DC TV Shows Superman star David Corenswet doesn't have a cameo in Peacemaker, and he's not happy about it
  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
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor in Superman
Peacemaker fans think they've identified another Superman character cameo in season 2 from the episode 7 teaser
 
 
Batman
James Gunn addresses Batman casting for The Brave and The Bold
 
 
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"
 
 
David Corenswet as Superman
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
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
 
 
Latest in Action Movies
Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman)
1 year later, Deadpool and Wolverine fans are still getting emotional at a major scene from the Marvel movie
 
 
Batgirl movie
Batgirl star thinks the shelved DC movie could still be released one day: "If enough people want it, it can happen"
 
 
The Flash
The Flash director Andy Muschietti says the film got a negative reception because "a lot of people did not see it" and "like to talk s***"
 
 
Karl Urban as Johnny Cage is ready to fight in the Mortal Kombat 2 trailer
Mortal Kombat co-creator says the movie sequel's opening has made him cry every single time he's watched it: "It punches you in the face"
 
 
Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine
The Rock pays tribute to Brendan Fraser for helping kickstart his acting career 24 years ago in The Mummy Returns: "I love that man for that"
 
 
"Fate it seems, is not without a sense of irony" - one of the best Matrix quotes
The Matrix star Laurence Fishburne wants to be Professor X in the X-Men reboot and, yeah, we want to see that happen now
 
 
Latest in Features
Josh O'Connor as JB in The Mastermind
The Mastermind is a brilliantly frustrating anti-heist movie that defies expectations, and it's one of my favorite movies of the year
 
 
Phyre stands in front of Seattle in Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2
Step aside Duskbloods, Dawnwalker, and Bloodlines 2 – somebody give me a Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG to commemorate the series' revival
 
 
A pink-haired trainer faces Yveltal in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
Pokemon Legends Z-A and Arceus are true successors to the classic Pokemon games I first fell in love with
 
 
All the Helsmiths of Hashut Army Set models laid out on a wooden table
Which Warhammer Helsmiths of Hashut models should you buy for your army? I've made all them, so here's what I think
 
 
Storm, Wolverine, Nova, and Spoider-Man fight bug enemies on the streets in Marvel Cosmic Invasion
I spent an undisclosed but fireable amount of time playing games at work, and here are my 10 Steam Next Fest demos you shouldn't miss before they're gone
 
 
Disney Lorcana Fabled box, boosters, dice, and dial on a wooden surface
If you want to get into Disney Lorcana, Fabled is your golden ticket
 
 
  1. The lighthouse looks across a vista in Keeper
    1
    Keeper review: "One of the most wonderfully bizarre games I've ever played – a stunning slice of magic"
  2. 2
    Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 review: "My dream vampire RPG has been staked – this blunt-toothed sequel is just a boring, linear action brawler instead"
  3. 3
    Ball x Pit review: "Vampire Survivors and Breakout collide in this brilliant roguelike ball basher that struggles with repetition"
  4. 4
    Pokemon Legends: Z-A review: "Fast fluid real-time fights and a world worth exploring make this finally feel like the anime come to life"
  5. 5
    Little Nightmares 3 review: "An overly safe, uneven, and half-baked follow-up where co-op is a hindrance instead of the evolution it should've been"
  1. Tron: Ares
    1
    Tron: Ares review: "Misses out by swapping the Grid for the real world"
  2. 2
    One Battle After Another review: "One of the best studio movies in years and an instant classic"
  3. 3
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  4. 4
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  5. 5
    The Long Walk review: "One of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made"
  1. Splinter Cell Deathwatch
    1
    Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"
  2. 2
    Marvel Zombies review: "A fun expansion of the What If episode with delightful MCU Easter eggs and truly gross R-rated kills"
  3. 3
    Gen V season 2 review: "As strong as the first season, if not stronger"
  4. 4
    Wednesday season 2 part 2 review: "Ortega shines, but it's a zombie who steals the entire show"
  5. 5
    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."

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...