James Gunn has put an end to one of the internet’s wilder fan-cast rumors: Chris Pratt will not be Batman in the DC Universe. But before you cross Pratt off your DCU bingo card, Gunn has already made clear that doesn’t mean the Guardians of the Galaxy star won’t show up somewhere else down the line.
James Gunn introduces the trailer for Peacemaker Season 2 – YouTube, DC
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It’s another carefully chosen statement from the filmmaker now steering Warner Bros. Discovery’s superhero slate, and one that leaves plenty of room for speculation about what kind of role Pratt could end up playing.
“As Batman? No. As Something Else? Yes.”
The spark for this latest round of discussion came from an interview in which Gunn was asked point-blank if Pratt might don the cape and cowl as Bruce Wayne. His answer was short, but definitive:
“As Batman? No. As something else? Yes.”
(L-R): Karen Gillan, James Gunn, and Chris Pratt on the set of Marvel Studios‘ GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3. Photo by Jessica Miglio. ©.
Given their history together, it’s not surprising that Gunn would at least tease the idea. Pratt’s breakout as Star-Lord under Gunn’s direction in Guardians of the Galaxy was the kind of left-field casting choice that changed careers and reshaped the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Gunn has admitted in the past he didn’t initially see Pratt as the right fit — until a 20-second audition completely changed his mind.
If history repeats, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Pratt surprise audiences in a DC role nobody saw coming.
Where Might Pratt Fit In?
Fans have wasted no time tossing around possible characters that Gunn might have in mind. Booster Gold is high on the list — a wise-cracking time-traveling hero whose personality would play directly to Pratt’s comedic timing. Rumors swirled last year that Eternals “star” Kumail Nanjiani might play Booster Gold, but those rumors were seemingly dispelled by Gunn himself.
Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani) in Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2021 Marvel Studios. All Rights Reserved.
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Others have suggested mid-tier but fan-favorite characters like the Question, Plastic Man, or even a Green Lantern with a lighter touch.
The key takeaway: Gunn is flatly rejecting the idea of Pratt as Batman, not Pratt himself within DC. It’s a deliberate distinction, and one that suggests he already knows exactly how he’d like to bring his Guardians collaborator into the DCU.
The Bigger DCU Picture
Under Gunn and producer Peter Safran, the DCU is being pitched as a unified storytelling effort across film, television, gaming, and even animation. After years of scattershot releases and abandoned continuity, Warner Bros. Discovery is counting on Gunn to create the kind of cohesion that made Marvel’s early phases into global juggernauts.
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A screenshot from Batman: Arkham Asylum Game of the Year Edition (2010), Rocksteady StudiosThe Brave and the Bold is already announced as DC’s Batman movie centerpiece, adapting Grant Morrison’s famous run that introduced Damian Wayne as Bruce’s son. The only thing we know about that is whoever ends up wearing the cowl, it won’t be Chris Pratt.
But if Gunn is already publicly planting seeds about bringing Pratt into the fold “as something else,” it’s hard to believe that was a casual throwaway remark.
Gunn and Loyalty
One other factor worth noting: James Gunn is loyal to his circle of actors. Guardians stars like Sean Gunn, Nathan Fillion, and Pom Klementieff have already made their way into DC projects. Pratt would hardly be an outlier.
James Gunn sits for an interview – YouTube, GQ
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The director has even said he would love to work with the entire Guardians cast again, suggesting the door is wide open for familiar Marvel names to make the leap.
If Gunn follows the same pattern he did at Marvel, expect some unexpected casting decisions. The kind that sound strange at first but end up reshaping how fans view certain characters.
Final Thoughts
The headline takeaway is simple: Chris Pratt will not be Batman in the DC Universe. James Gunn himself has closed the book on that idea.
But in typical Gunn fashion, he immediately cracked the book on another one — that Pratt will “absolutely” appear as somebody else. Whether it’s Booster Gold, a Green Lantern, or some deeper cut character that only comic book diehards would predict, Gunn has signaled that Pratt will be back in a superhero suit sooner rather than later.
Chris Pratt as James Reece in The Terminal List (2022), Prime Video
And if Gunn’s track record at Marvel is any indication, that casting might end up being one of the DCU’s most important swings.
Who do you think Chris Pratt will play in the DC Universe? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
Of course, the follywood elites are going to do everything they can to alienate and push out people like Chris Pratt because they don’t align with the woke culture of follywood. They align with the culture that the American people want instead of trying to push the neo marxism narrative follywood wants to push on us all.
Hahahaha. dc.
Pratt would be an awesome Booster Gold.
Race Swaps beget instant, and intense, negativity from me. I’m but one voice, but still… I’m far from alone, no doubt!