A Former Superman Actor Wants To Play Batman In The DCU, And It’s The Kind Of Bold Swing That Might Just Work

The DCU is still in the early stages of Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, and one of the most highly anticipated new DC movies on the slate is the upcoming The Brave and the Bold. James Gunn and Peter Safran’s reboot of Batman will introduce Bruce Wayne alongside his son, Damian Wayne, and the wider Bat-Family, but we currently don't know anything about who could play Gotham’s new Dark Knight. Still, that hasn’t stopped actors (and fans) from speculating about who might take on the role. One actor in particular is throwing his cape in the ring, and he is a former Superman star.

At FAN EXPO Canada, Screen Rant hosted a “Men of Steel” panel with several Superman actors, and the conversation took a surprising turn when the panel was asked if they thought Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight could fit into the larger DCU. Tyler Hoechlin, best known for playing Clark Kent in The CW's Supergirl and Superman & Lois, admitted he has a selfish reason for thinking the Matt Reeves version of the Caped Crusader wouldn’t work in the larger DCU:

Hoechlin may be being “selfish,” but he makes a solid argument. Matt Reeves’ The Batman films remain firmly in their own Elseworlds pocket, freeing Gunn’s DCU to create its own version of the character. That means there’s plenty of space for a fresh take on Batman, and the Teen Wolf actor clearly sees an opportunity.

It’s not as far-fetched as it might sound, either. Hoechlin’s Superman tenure ended in 2024, when Superman & Lois wrapped after four seasons with an emotional series finale. However, his run gave him a chance to explore Clark Kent as a father, an experience that dovetails neatly with the father-son story The Brave and the Bold promises to tell. Add in his history of playing brooding, darker characters as part of the Teen Wolf cast, and the leap from Krypton’s last son to Gotham’s vigilante feels surprisingly natural.

Right now, there are no indications about when we'll get casting news for The Brave and the Bold, so fans probably shouldn’t expect announcements anytime soon. Still, the former MTV star tossing his name into the mix adds an intriguing wrinkle. With Gunn casting former DCEU stars like Jason Momoa in new roles in the DCU, the door is clearly open for familiar faces to return in new ways.

Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman was fantastic, especially amongst the Arrowverse, but his comments reflect the same energy Gunn has brought to the DCU: bold reinvention. And honestly? Seeing a former Superman, especially one as talented as Hoechlin, step into Batman’s boots for a new era might just be the kind of unexpected casting swing that could really work.

All seasons of Superman & Lois are available to stream with an HBO Max subscription.