‘Black Panther’ Actor Winston Duke Wants To Play Batman In ‘The Brave And The Bold’, Makes It About Changing “Narratives”

M'Baku aghast
M'Baku (Winston Duke) watches everybody fade away in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Marvel Studios

James Gunn doesn’t have an actor to play Batman yet in his planned The Brave and The Bold film, but somebody has thrown his hat in the ring. Marvel Studios ensemble player Winston Duke has thrown his hat in the ring.

Batman (Kevin Conroy) has a surprise for the titular team in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2024), Rocksteady Studios
Batman (Kevin Conroy) has a surprise for the titular team in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2024), Rocksteady Studios

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Duke expressed interest and excitement at the idea when speaking with Slash Film. “Listen, man, can you start that [campaign]? [Laughs] I would say I challenge you to get on all these socials and push for me. Get your community,” he said. 

“I would love to. I would love to do that as Batman. I’d love any opportunity to explore new characters, to change narratives around some of these entrenched ideas of how these characters are supposed to look, sound, and perform. I’m all for it,” Duke continued.

L to R: Winston Duke is Dan Tucker and Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers in THE FALL GUY, directed by David Leitch. Image property of Universal Pictures.
L to R: Winston Duke is Dan Tucker and Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers in THE FALL GUY, directed by David Leitch. Image property of Universal Pictures.

Duke has experience playing in that world as the voice of Bruce Wayne in the dramatic podcast Batman Unburied, and he is generating support from the usual places such as The Nerdist. 

They think casting Duke as Batman is a good idea and entreated James Gunn to, “Do the right thing.” Says Nerdist, “Casting Winston Duke as Batman would be perfect for the DCU and for us. Ten out of ten, no notes. And we’d love to see Winston Duke’s Batman interact with David Corenswet’s Superman.”

It’s fine they think that and Duke has the experience and the presence to recommend him, but a campaign to put him in the cape and cowl probably won’t go the way he and The Nerdist hope.

Namor (Tenoch Huerta) blocks a blow from M'Baku (Winston Duke) in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), Marvel Entertainment via YouTube
Namor (Tenoch Huerta) blocks a blow from M’Baku (Winston Duke) in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), Marvel Entertainment via YouTube

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It seems academic at this point in history what the hypothetical announcement would be like, followed by a visceral fan reaction, and then a backlash against the fanbase for being brutally honest and respecting canon.

That is unless Gunn and Brave and The Bold director Andy Muschietti pull a swerve and go with either Batwing or one of the sons of Lucius Fox to be the DCU’s Batman. Digging up obscure lore like what John Ridley penned in comics is a move Gunn would make.

Winston Duke as M’Baku in Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER. Photo by Eli Adé. © 2022 MARVEL.

Or he could go Elseworlds like they are with Superman.

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