The world of DC superheroes is following with its grand reset, and with James Gunn and Peter Safran leading the charge, anticipation has never been higher. As DC Studios prepares to relaunch the Caped Crusader within ‘The Brave and The Bold’, fans have been fervently debating who might take up the cowl next.
Among the names that have emerged from the swirling sea of fancasts is ‘Bridgerton’ star Jonathan Bailey, whose recent comments have only fueled the excitement surrounding his possible inclusion in the DC Universe.
Jonathan Bailey Reacts To Batman Fancasting Rumors
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jonathan Bailey finally addressed the viral fan theories that have linked him to Gotham’s Dark Knight. When Fallon brought up the growing chatter about Bailey as Batman, the actor smiled before responding, “Would I do Batman? I grew up with Val Kilmer, George Clooney, obviously Christian Bale, and Robert Pattinson.” For fans, it was a moment of pure validation.
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He continued by saying, “It’s a legacy,” adding that, “I think James Gunn is amazing. Who knows?” That last line, “Who knows”, may seem like a simple shrug. However, for superhero fans it sounded like an open door rather than a firm denial. Bailey’s charisma and commanding screen presence have already made him a fan favorite for the role. The actor is perfect for the kind of Bruce Wayne story Gunn is building.
‘The Brave and The Bold’ will explore the father-son dynamic in a way that no live-action Batman film has before. Gunn first announced the project in January 2023. Later, in June 2023, The Flash director Andy Muschietti was confirmed to helm the movie. Fast forward to October 2025, and Muschietti offered a small but significant update: “We have to wait a few, a couple of months to start talking about it.”
Interestingly, Bailey’s Batman fancast started gaining momentum back in December 2024. This was when James Gunn himself liked a post on BlueSky featuring fans suggesting Bailey for the role. “I’m actually surprised he’s not a more popular fan cast for Batman,” the post read. Unsurprisingly, Gunn’s subtle engagement with it sent social media into a frenzy. While that doesn’t confirm anything, it certainly showed that Gunn is aware of fan enthusiasm for Bailey.
Alexandra Daddario Addresses Whether She Would Play Wonder Woman
While Jonathan Bailey might be donning the cape and cowl in fans’ dreams, ‘White Lotus’ star Alexandra Daddario has also found herself in the middle of a DCU casting whirlwind. Daddario’s striking screen presence and strong fan following have led to her being fancast as Wonder Woman and even Catwoman, two of DC’s most iconic heroines. In a recent interview with SR, Daddario reacted to the growing wave of fan art imagining her in Gunn’s universe.
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Laughing, she admitted, “I have to be honest, I haven’t seen any of that fan art.” But she quickly added, “I’m flattered to hear that it’s happening.” When asked whether she would consider joining the DCU if the opportunity came along, Daddario didn’t hesitate: “Of course, working with James Gunn would be amazing in any capacity, but I wasn’t aware that that was going on.” Interestingly, both Wonder Woman and Catwoman are already confirmed to exist in the DCU.
Wonder Woman even made a brief appearance, or rather, a cameo through Circe’s future vision, in ‘Creature Commandos’, Gunn’s first official DCU project. Gunn later confirmed on Threads that he does have plans for Catwoman, though he stopped short of revealing which project she’ll appear in. That means both roles are still very much available, and if Daddario were to join the DCU, her casting could easily become a headline moment for Gunn’s expanding world.
