A new era of Batman is coming to the DCU. Tuesday, James Gunn revealed that there will be two versions of the Caped Crusader on the silver screen — one played by Robert Pattinson in Matt Reeves’ standalone series and another who will star in the upcoming The Brave and the Bold.
The true strength of the Batman character lies with his villains, who are oftentimes more interesting than the Dark Knight himself. Few superheroes can tout the depth of Batman’s famous rogues’ gallery, which gives plenty of room for both Gunn and Reeves to mine for worthy adversaries without stepping on one another’s toes.
One of the most popular suggestions for potential Batman villains is an updated Bane. After The Batman wowed audiences, his was among the first names suggested for the sequel. Before that, fans had been casting Dave Bautista for the role, which he gladly accepted. Reportedly, he went directly to the studio in 2021 demanding the part.
Considering Bane’s superpower is literally taking steroids, Bautista’s massive bodybuilder physique fits the bill. Plus, his enthusiasm for the role would definitely shine through in the performance in the same way that John Cena did with Peacemaker. After Gunn had said he wanted to bring his Guardians of the Galaxy cast to the DCU, it seemed the stars were aligning for the fan dream casting to become reality. Alas, that is not to be.
Bautista confirmed that he spoke with Gunn about the part, but the DC Studios co-chair said it wasn’t happening. The wrestler-turned-actor recently turned 54, which he said took him out of the running. “[He]’s starting from scratch and starting younger and fresher, and I think you need to do that,” Bautista explained.
Despite Tuesday’s DCU reveal, we don’t know what villains to expect in The Brave and the Bold or The Batman Part II. However, Bautista’s comments imply that Bane will appear in some fashion. With Drax the Destroyer no longer in the running, who else could pull off the role?
Tom Hardy
Sure, Bautista said he thinks Gunn wants to go with a younger Bane, but the keyword there is thinks. By the time the part is cast, who knows what direction things could go? The simplest solution that would add instant star power would be to bring back Hardy. At 45, he is technically younger than Bautista.
Maybe The Dark Knight Rises didn’t quite live up to the perfection that was The Dark Knight, but Hardy did a serviceable job as Bane nonetheless. True, that weird accent would need to go unless Gunn wanted to give amateur comedians a new meme to play with. The trendy thing to do in superhero cinema is use the Multiverse to connect an old franchise to the modern franchises. This is one case where fans would likely revolt, given how audiences revere the Christopher Nolan films.
Dwayne Johnson
Build is of the utmost importance for a comic-accurate Bane. The idea behind his character is that he is both physically and intellectually superior to Batman. It takes a certain physique to pull that off, which automatically puts Johnson on the list of candidates.
While he clearly would prefer to play a hero (or anti-hero), there’s no doubt that Johnson would live up to the character’s comic-book aesthetic. Sure, his acting skills don’t warrant an Oscar speech, but he could do a decent enough job in the role. Whether or not he would do the Tom Hardy Bane voice is another story altogether.
The chances of Johnson taking on Bane is about as likely as Hardy reprising the role. The Rock seems to believe he’ll return as Black Adam in the future DCU. Then again, he’s reportedly on the outs with Warner Bros. Discovery, which doesn’t bode well for any future DC roles. Whether or not we’ll see him return to the fold is questionable at best, but Johnson would definitely make a convincing Bane.
MJF
Bautista says Gunn wants someone younger, and fans want a wrestler. Put the two together, and you’ve got your next Bane: AEW’s top star, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, better known to wrestling fans as MJF.
Wrestlers are being taken much more seriously as box office attractions of late, given the successes of Johnson, Bautista, and Cena in the acting world. The 26-year-old breakout star is already moving toward acting. He’s been cast in The Iron Claw, the Zac Effron-led biopic of the legendary and tragic wrestling family, the Von Erichs. If MJF has a standout performance, that could elevate him to mainstream star, and Bane could be his chance to slide into the world of superhero cinema.
Hafþór Júlíus “Thor” Björnsson
While movie magic can make anyone appear gigantic on the silver screen, Björnsson is legitimately a giant. Seriously, the Icelandic strongman is 6’9” with a shredded bodybuilder physique to boot.
If you don’t recognize his name, you’d probably know him better as Game of Throne’s “The Mountain.” Remember the guy who crushed Pedro Pascal’s head with his bare hands? That was Björnsson. Whether or not he can act is another question, but there’s no arguing that he would look the part.
Mahershala Ali
Our next candidate could give us a new vision of Bane that would help us forget Hardy’s odd TDKR voice. Ali also comes with ample credibility, and he has pulled off believable accents before. Remember him from the Predator franchise? That’s right; Ali played Mombasa, the Sierra Leone “death squad” soldier, and the accent was so good that audiences had no idea that the then-unknown actor was from Oakland, California.
There’s nothing stopping the Oscar-winning actor from joining both the MCU and DCU. Put him in the Bane role, and he would own it.
Alan Ritchson
While not quite the level of performer as Ali, Ritchson has earned quite the following in recent years. Starring in Amazon Prime’s Reacher, he makes for a convincing tough-as-a-Waffle-House-steak, Dirty Harry-style FBI agent. Marching straight out of a 1980s action movie, Reacher plays by his own rules and has no physical equal on the screen. Ritchson plays the part so well that it’s easy to blend fact with fiction and believe he is Reacher. That would translate well for the Batman villain.
Having him put on the mask and become Bane wouldn’t be his first foray into the DCU. Back when it was the DCEU, he played the foul-mouthed and violent Hawk in Titans.
Henry Cavill
Here’s a pick that would be nearly perfect. Cavill has the acting range and the right build to be an amazing Bane. In fact, he would likely outshine Hardy’s version and maybe with a better accent, too.
The trouble is that he was already the most famous superhero ever created. Having owned the Superman role, it would be tough for fans to accept him as another DC character…at least in the main DCU. That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be available to play Bane in Reeves’ The Batman II, which Gunn has said will remain separate from the rest of his creative vision. Cavill’s Bane taking on Pattinson’s Batman? That has ‘blockbuster’ written all over it.
Jonathan Majors
Majors proved his acting talents with the short-lived Lovecraft Country on HBO. Once he was cast as Kang the Conqueror and debuted in the MCU as He Who Remains, Marvel Studios elevated his celebrity to A-list status. As the next Multiversal threat to the Marvel Universe, he is on the verge of superstardom, which should allow him to take his pick of virtually any role he wants. That could include taking a dip in the DCU pool.
As with basically everyone else on today’s list, his impressive physique combined with his star power would all but guarantee him the role. If you question that, pull up the Creed 3 trailer, and you’ll understand why he could make for a mesmerizing Bane.
Christian Bale
What a twist! 11 years after playing Batman for the final time, Christian Bale could make for a convincing Bane. Over the course of his award-winning career, the British actor has proven he is among the most versatile thespians in the industry. He’s also widely known for his body transformations, and he would need to bulk up even more for Bane than he did to play the Dark Knight.
Fans are still bitter over Marvel’s misuse of his talents in Thor: Love and Thunder. Adore the movie or abhor it, Bale’s performance as Gorr the God Butcher was the true star of the show. Giving him a chance at superheroic redemption as one of Batman’s deadliest foes would be fitting.
Diego Luna
In the comics, Bane was born in a Caribbean prison on the fictional island of Santa Prisca. His father is British criminal Sir Edmund Dorrace, who happened to use the moniker “King Snake.” When Dorrace escaped prison, Bane as a young boy was forced to bear the remainder of his father’s sentence.
Spending his youth in a Caribbean prison somewhat explains Bane’s whatever-it-was voice in TDKR. Luna, on the other hand, naturally has the right accent. Plus, he is an incredible performer. After his star-making performance in Andor, Luna is another A-lister that should move to the top of any casting list. His acting is unquestioned, and Hollywood’s elite personal trainers can get him into full Bane shape in a matter of months.