Should the Arrowverse ever officially introduce their version of Bruce Wayne/Batman, they already have the perfect actor right under their nose - Supernatural star Jensen Ackles. The Texas-born actor first gained recognition for his Daytime Emmy-nominated work on Days of Our Lives before moving on to become a popular staple of more genre-leaning fare. He enjoyed dual roles on James Cameron’s Dark Angel, first playing a deranged serial killer and then recurring in the second season as an infinitely more stable clone. Ackles then played the love interest of Michelle William’s character in the final season of Dawson’s Creek and landed a role in Smallville. He was initially in the running for the part of Clark Kent, but it ultimately went to Tom Welling. Welling will reprise that particular role for Crisis on Infinite Earths - the Arrowverse’s upcoming, highly-anticipated crossover event. Ackles, meanwhile, played Jason Teague in the third season.
It’s monster-hunter Dean Winchester, however, that Ackles is best known. He debuted as the character in the 2005 pilot episode, which aired on what was then known as The WB. In a fashion akin to Dean’s own frequent brushes with death, Supernatural survived the network’s transition into The CW. Amassing a hugely passionate following around the globe, the show enjoyed consistent renewals and firm support from The CW’s President, Mark Pedowitz, for over a decade. Earlier this year, however, it was announced Supernatural season 15 would also be the last.
Though fans are only partway into the final run of episodes, the actors are already looking to the future. Co-star Jared Padalecki, who plays Sam Winchester, is already set to star in and produce a Walker, Texas Ranger reboot. Ackles doesn’t appear to have anything concrete lined up at the current time, but taking on the cape and cowl should almost certainly be in his future. Not only does he have the requisite looks and jawline, but Supernatural’s entire run has also served as a testament to Ackles’ blend of charisma and acting ability. Season 14 alone demonstrated his range and even tapped into even deeper levels of emotion. Though Batman is largely not as comedic a character as Dean Winchester can sometimes be, it would lend itself to Bruce’s charming playboy front. And when it comes to the brooding, angsty aspect, Ackles has already proven himself fiercely adept at action scenes and a master when portraying the long-suffering sides of Dean. Plus, toying with the fans, Ackles dressed up as Batman for Halloween for a rooftop photo-shoot and it was arguably perfect.
This is far from the only nod to Ackles in the coveted role. An episode from Supernatural season 3 even had Dean Winchester proclaim, “I’m Batman!” It also wouldn’t be his first foray into the realm of DC Comics. In 2010, he voiced the role of Jason Todd (aka Red Hood) in the animated adaptation of Under the Red Hood. Fans have since been eager to see Ackles take on that role in live-action. The actor also trolled fans with that idea, with Red Hood being his costume of choice last Halloween. Ackles’ latest efforts have really gotten fans clamoring more than ever, though.
The city of Gotham officially joined the Arrowverse during last year’s crossover, Elseworlds. Though that corner of the shared CW universe is being explored via Kate Kane on Batwoman, the legacy of Batman continues to hang over proceedings. With Robert Pattinson set to play the character on the big screen, it’s likely that Warner Bros. will continue its trend of avoiding oversaturation. As such, fans should probably not hold their breath for Batman to officially join the Arrowverse any time soon. Then again, the same could once be said of Superman, but three separate iterations will appear in Crisis on Infinite Earths - with a Tyler Hoechlin-led spin-off to follow. Equally, The CW would no doubt love to keep a favorite son in the fold when Supernatural ends. As such, the Arrowverse would be a perfect new home - and the role of Batman could be an even more perfect fit.
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