An MCU Star Wants To Play Batman In James Gunn's DC Universe [Exclusive]
Spoiler alert: As much as Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt remain the undeniable draws of "The Fall Guy," there are multiple contenders in the cast for the sought-after crown of "Best Scene Stealer." You have Aaron Taylor-Johnson, an inspired bit of casting as the insufferable A-lister casting a long shadow over Gosling's stuntman Colt Seavers. Then there's the great Hannah Waddingham, chewing up the scenery (and then some) as the no-nonsense producer Gail Meyer who stops at nothing to keep the show on the road. Heck, you could even go with either of the two dogs that portrayed Jean Claude, the Australian Kelpie that only responds to French commands and takes on an unforgettable supporting role amid all the action.
But more than anyone else, it's Winston Duke who walks away with one of his funniest and most memorable performances in recent years as Dan Tucker, a veteran stunt coordinator with a habit of quoting famous movie lines. Without giving anything away, the "Black Panther" and "Us" star ends up playing an integral role in the adventure that his buddy Colt finds himself sucked into, allowing him the opportunity to show off his charisma and physicality that audiences have quickly come to appreciate. So when /Film's Ryan Scott interviewed Duke during the press day for "The Fall Guy," we ended up getting the scoop on a major dream role that the actor would happily put himself in contention for in the years ahead.
As it turns out, Winston Duke would love nothing more than to cross the aisle from Marvel to DC and suit up in the famous cape and cowl as Batman himself. James Gunn, we (and the entirety of the moviegoing public at large) sure hope you're listening!
The 'Winston Duke for Batman' campaign begins now
Every Batman fan knows the requirements for anyone hoping to become Gotham City's Caped Crusader: a magnetic screen presence, a convincing sense of physicality, and a chiseled jawline. Much like Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson, Winston Duke just so happens to fit every one of these categories ... so it's a little surprising that it's taken this long for anyone to fire up their fan-cast engines and start campaigning for the actor to suit up as the brooding hero. Well, anyone even vaguely familiar with comic book fandom these days can probably guess why that hasn't really happened with this traditionally white character, but Duke is certainly aware of how he'd be shaking up the status quo if he ever got his wish.
While talking to /Film's Ryan Scott, who mentioned that Duke actually has starred as Bruce Wayne before in the "Batman Unburied" podcast, Duke all but leaped at the idea of portraying Batman in a live-action film. Director Andy Muschietti's reboot "Brave and the Bold" is coming up (relatively) soon, so there's no time like the present! According to Duke:
"Listen, man, can you start that [campaign]? [Laughs] I would say I challenge you to get on all these socials and push for me. Get your community. I would love to. I would love to do that as Batman. I'd love any opportunity to explore new characters, to change narratives around some of these entrenched ideas of how these characters are supposed to look, sound, and perform. I'm all for it."
So are we, Winston, so are we. This wouldn't be the first time an actor has willed a role into existence! Until then, you can catch him in "The Fall Guy," which opens in theaters this weekend.