Only a month passed between when the time when Warner Bros announced that Batman and Superman would be pitted against each other on the big screen, and that Ben Affleck was cast as the Dark Knight. However, during that short period, a lot of actors were rumored to be up for playing the Caped Crusader in what is now Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Inherent Vice star Josh Brolin was one of the more well-known names that was thrown out as a possibility, and shortly after Affleck’s casting was announced, the actor even confirmed he was in the running for the role. Two years have passed since then, but in good spirit, Brolin is fine with being passed over.
Although Brolin admitted to MTV this weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival that playing Batman would have been a great gig, he doesn’t have any hard feelings about Ben Affleck ultimately getting the role, and is eager to see the Gone Girl star’s interpretation of the shadowy DC crime fighter. He said,
I don’t have that thing, I wish I did. It would just be more interesting and more competitive, damn him. As much as you guys want to be pissed off, be pissed off, it’s all good. Start a f–king riot. I’m really curious what he does. Beyond curious.
While the previous Batman films focused on Batman in his younger years, the DC Extended Universe is giving audiences a Batman that’s been operating for over two decades, making him more grizzled and battle-worn. Josh Brolin is only four years older than Affleck, so he still would have fit within that age range. Although it would have been interesting to see Brolin’s take on Batman, recent reports indicate that Warner Bros executives are quite pleased with Affleck’s performance, so it appears that they made the right decision. Unfortunately, regular moviegoers still have a five month wait before they can make that determination for themselves.
Even though Josh Brolin didn’t get to play Batman, he still scored big in the superhero movie department when Marvel cast him as Thanos. So far, Brolin has played the Mad Titan in Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Age of Ultron, and we’ll see the character unleash his full power in the Avengers: Infinity War movies (though don't be surprised if he cameos in a few preceding Phase Three films). Brolin’s other comic book adaptation experience includes playing Jonah Hex’s eponymous protagonist, and Dwight McCarthy in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.
You can see Brolin next in Sicario and Everest, both of which are being released on Friday, so the actor will be double trouble at the box office this weekend. As for Batman, Affleck will make his debut as the Caped Crusader when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters on March 25, 2016.
