Batman’s about to get a new face in the DC Universe. James Gunn is putting together The Brave and the Bold, which means casting a fresh Bruce Wayne. So the question is: who’s going to be the next actor to say, “I am Batman”?
No one has officially landed the role, but the rumors haven’t stopped. For Batman Day on September 20, Action Network broke down 50 rumored or talked-about names and set odds on who might end up under the cowl.
Those odds factored in age, body of work, physicality, online talk, public comments, and the direction Gunn’s new project seems to be heading. Now, while Gunn has said he won’t go with a middle-aged Batman, The Brave and the Bold will center on a version of Bruce Wayne around 40. Unfortunately, that leaves younger stars like Timothée Chalamet and Austin Butler (both listed at 70/1) on the outside looking in.
And right now, the top two names are about as different as it gets: one established A-lister and one actor still breaking through.
Top 10 Actors Most Likely To Be Batman – Jake Gyllenhaal and Brandon Sklenar
| Rank | Actor | Fraction | Implied Probability | American Odds |
| 1 | Brandon Sklenar | 3/1 | 25% | +300 |
| 1 | Jake Gyllenhaal | 3/1 | 25% | +300 |
| 3 | Jensen Ackles | 5/1 | 16.7% | +500 |
| 4 | Richard Madden | 6/1 | 14.3% | +600 |
| 5 | Jon Hamm | 7/1 | 12.5% | +700 |
| 6 | Oscar Isaac | 9/1 | 10% | +900 |
| 7 | Pedro Pascal | 9/1 | 10% | +900 |
| 8 | Michael Fassbender | 12/1 | 7.7% | +1,200 |
| 9 | Aaron Taylor-Johnson | 14/1 | 6.7% | +1,400 |
| 10 | Scott Eastwood | 15/1 | 6.3% | +1,500 |
The race up top is tight: Brandon Sklenar and Jake Gyllenhaal are both at 3/1. Sklenar’s buzz has picked up recently, with talk of a costume fitting, a nod from James Gunn, and even an Instagram comment from Blake Lively. Not a bad endorsement, considering she’s married to Ryan Reynolds, who’s played more than one superhero himself.
Gyllenhaal’s story is different though. He’s been connected to Batman rumors for years, and with his track record and the steady fan push behind him, it makes sense why he’s still right there in the mix.
Just behind them? Jensen Ackles (5/1) and Richard Madden (6/1). Ackles has already worn the cowl in voice work and has a ton of fans pulling for him, while Madden has the kind of presence you’d expect from an older Bruce Wayne.
Of course, all of this is just for fun, so unless you’re James Gunn (or Gotham’s best detective), there’s no real way to know who ends up getting the call.
And no, sportsbooks aren’t taking Batman bets. But if you like these kinds of markets, Kalshi does offer odds on the next James Bond. There’s also a referral code if you want to check that out.
Full Odds: 50 Actors in the Running to Be Batman
| Rank | Actor | Fraction | Implied Probability | American Odds |
| 1 | Brandon Sklenar | 3/1 | 25% | +300 |
| 1 | Jake Gyllenhaal | 3/1 | 25% | +300 |
| 3 | Jensen Ackles | 5/1 | 16.7% | +500 |
| 4 | Richard Madden | 6/1 | 14.3% | +600 |
| 5 | Jon Hamm | 7/1 | 12.5% | +700 |
| 6 | Oscar Isaac | 9/1 | 10% | +900 |
| 7 | Pedro Pascal | 9/1 | 10% | +900 |
| 8 | Michael Fassbender | 12/1 | 7.7% | +1,200 |
| 9 | Aaron Taylor-Johnson | 14/1 | 6.7% | +1,400 |
| 10 | Scott Eastwood | 15/1 | 6.3% | +1,500 |
| 11 | Winston Duke | 16/1 | 5.9% | +1,600 |
| 12 | Regé-Jean Page | 18/1 | 5.3% | +1,800 |
| 13 | Josh Hartnett | 20/1 | 4.8% | +2,000 |
| 14 | Alan Ritchson | 22/1 | 4.3% | +2,200 |
| 15 | Idris Elba | 25/1 | 3.8% | +2,500 |
| 16 | Tom Hardy | 25/1 | 3.8% | +2,500 |
| 17 | Keanu Reeves | 28/1 | 3.4% | +2,800 |
| 18 | Chris Evans | 28/1 | 3.4% | +2,800 |
| 19 | Jamie Dornan | 32/1 | 3% | +3,200 |
| 20 | Chris Pine | 32/1 | 3% | +3,200 |
| 21 | Ryan Gosling | 32/1 | 3% | +3,200 |
| 22 | Michael B. Jordan | 35/1 | 2.8% | +3,500 |
| 23 | Leonardo DiCaprio | 40/1 | 2.4% | +4,000 |
| 24 | Cillian Murphy | 40/1 | 2.4% | +4,000 |
| 25 | Hugh Jackman | 50/1 | 2% | +5,000 |
| 26 | Ewan McGregor | 55/1 | 1.8% | +5,500 |
| 27 | Chris Pratt | 60/1 | 1.6% | +6,000 |
| 28 | Daniel Craig | 60/1 | 1.6% | +6,000 |
| 29 | Colin Farrell | 65/1 | 1.5% | +6,500 |
| 30 | Timothée Chalamet | 70/1 | 1.4% | +7,000 |
| 31 | Austin Butler | 70/1 | 1.4% | +7,000 |
| 32 | John Krasinski | 75/1 | 1.3% | +7,500 |
| 33 | Jonathan Bailey | 80/1 | 1.2% | +8,000 |
| 34 | Josh Brolin | 80/1 | 1.2% | +8,000 |
| 35 | Randy Orton | 85/1 | 1.2% | +8,500 |
| 36 | Bill Skarsgård | 85/1 | 1.2% | +8,500 |
| 37 | Sterling K. Brown | 90/1 | 1.1% | +9,000 |
| 38 | Luke Bracey | 90/1 | 1.1% | +9,000 |
| 39 | Joe Dempsie | 95/1 | 1% | +9,500 |
| 40 | Damson Idris | 100/1 | 1% | +10,000 |
| 41 | Nicholas Alexander Chavez | 100/1 | 1% | +10,000 |
| 42 | Michael Jai White | 105/1 | 0.9% | +10,500 |
| 43 | Glen Powell | 110/1 | 0.9% | +11,000 |
| 44 | Ben Barnes | 115/1 | 0.9% | +11,500 |
| 45 | Ethan Peck | 120/1 | 0.8% | +12,000 |
| 46 | Jeremy Irvine | 120/1 | 0.8% | +12,000 |
| 47 | Jack Whitehall | 125/1 | 0.8% | +12,500 |
| 48 | Matthew Goode | 125/1 | 0.8% | +12,500 |
| 49 | Theo James | 130/1 | 0.8% | +13,000 |
| 50 | Henry Golding | 130/1 | 0.8% | +13,000 |
