The Boys star Jensen Ackles reveals he would be ready to play Batman in James Gunn’s DCU

Jensen Ackles, who's most famous for his portrayal as Soldier Boy in The Boys, has expressed that he's game—and more than willing—to become James Gunn's new Batman in the DC Universe. In an exclusive Collider Signature interview, The Boys actor opened up about his deep-rooted affinity for the Dark Knight and his desire for a live-action role.

"Oh, man. I don’t know. It would be hard to carve out something truly unique amongst all of the performances as Batman. I would probably have to lean heavily on Gunn and whoever’s directing and whoever’s writing it, and get inspiration from the text."

"But look, you talk about not wanting to fumble the football, that’s one that I would be nervous as hell to carry, but also proud, and a certain feather in the cap. Anybody who gets to wear the cowl, they got something."

Ackles, a veteran voice actor for Batman in the DC animation universe, also highlighted the burden of the character's heritage. His work has already built a considerable Batman résumé, and the actor seems poised to bring that skill to a live-action incarnation under Gunn's guidance—if invited to do so.

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The Boys actor, Ackles, has already worn the Cape and Cowl — In animation

Ackles' ambition to portray Batman in the DCU would not be his first encounter with the character. Collider reports that he already voiced Batman in several films from the "Tomorrowverse" — an interlinked DC animated universe that started with Superman: Man of Tomorrow and just wrapped up with Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths.

His first outing as the Dark Knight was in Batman: The Long Halloween, a two-part retelling of the iconic comic series by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. Ackles' voice acting conveyed the character's stoicism as much as his emotional complexity. In one particular scene, Batman is talking to Catwoman about her association with the Falcone family.

The conversation is intimate, and Ackles's vocal interpretation uncovered a facet of Bruce Wayne that is hard to convey: vulnerability. Ackles' earlier work on the character of Jason Todd in Batman: Under the Red Hood bolstered his credentials as a Gotham actor. That animated movie has an emotional confrontation between Red Hood and Batman concerning what happens to the Joker.

According to Collider, this scene is one of the most memorable in the DC animation canon, with Ackles' version of Todd presenting a mix of sorrow, anger, and turmoil. Both movies demonstrate that Ackles has a grasp on the emotional depth that is involved with being a member of the Batman mythos.

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A career built on complex characters

Ackles' on-screen performances always demonstrate the type of range and depth required to play Batman. On The Boys, he is Soldier Boy—a man who presents as egoistic and powerful on the surface, but whose backstory is one of trauma and emotional scarring.

And, on Supernatural, Ackles played Dean Winchester, a man frequently walking the line between dry wit, bristling protectiveness, and emotional weight. Ackles also appeared in Smallville as Jason Teague, a character associated with a secret society and Lex Luthor's bigger plans.

Although Teague's story ended when Ackles joined Supernatural, the character was one of his first interactions with the world of DC television. As Collider states, his previous work in Dark Angel, where he portrayed both Ben and Alec—twins with opposite personality extremes—proved that he could act duality, a talent required to play both Bruce Wayne and Batman.

That tension between charm and emotional control is an essential aspect of what makes Batman the attractive character that he is. As The Boys actor has demonstrated throughout his television career, he can encompass both aspects of that character: the charisma at the surface and the conflict within.

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James Gunn's vision for a Darker Batman

Batman's future in the new DCU, with James Gunn and Peter Safran in charge, is still a mystery. The Caped Crusader features in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, bringing Damian Wayne, Bruce's son, into the live-action realm. The details of the casting, though, are still under wraps.

Gunn has spoken publicly about the tone he wants for this version of Batman.

“I’m not interested in a funny, campy Batman. Really,” Gunn told Rolling Stone, suggesting that the new interpretation will lean heavily into darker themes and psychological weight.

Ackles, with his background in shows like The Boys and Supernatural, is no stranger to darker narratives and morally grey storytelling. The Boys actor explained to Collider that he's optimistic about the chance.

"Anybody who gets to wear the cowl, they got something," he stated, discussing the privilege and challenge of taking on such an established legacy.

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