Before He Was Thanos, Josh Brolin Got Very Close to Playing Zack Snyder’s Batman

Josh Brolin, best known for portraying Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, nearly took a completely different path before being cast as the Avengers’ biggest threat. Over his nearly four-decade-long career, Brolin has featured in other major franchises such as Dune and Men in Black while appearing in blockbusters like Sicario, No Country for Old Men, and Everest. He even took on a second Marvel role in Deadpool 2, portraying the cybernetic mutant known as Cable.

Fans of comic book films adore Brolin’s performance as Thanos in the MCU, namely in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, but most audiences don’t know that the star almost landed the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Zack Snyder’s DC Extended Universe.Over the years, Brolin has opened up about the prospect of playing Batman in Snyder’s DCEU. The role eventually went to Ben Affleck, who portrayed the iconic vigilante in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, 2016’s Suicide Squad, 2017’s Justice League, 2021’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and 2023’s The Flash.



Known for its deeper and grimmer portrait of superheroes, Snyder’s sector of the franchise attracted a cult following that remains devoted to his creative vision. Brolin’s explanation of his chance to play Batman and why his potential collaboration with Snyder didn’t become a reality will greatly intrigue superhero movie fans. [RELATED: All 7 Josh Brolin Comic Book Movies Ranked Worst to Best]How Josh Brolin Almost Played Batman in Zack Snyder’s DCEUDuring a 2022 appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Brolin revealed that he was initially approached to play Batman ahead of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

He was extremely interested in the idea possibility, but Snyder opted for a different take on the Caped Crusader. “That was his decision — that wasn’t my decision,” Brolin said at the time. The actor also described what his version of Batman would have been like.

“It would have been the older, the more raspy, for lack of a better word,” he said. “Honestly, that would have been a fun deal. And maybe I’ll do it when I’m 80.

”On what appealed to him most about the role of Batman, Brolin explained that the high-stakes nature of an iconic character in a big franchise was a major plus. “Something that is set up to not work at all, or to work flyingly — I like those odds,” he said. “I like playing with those odds.

I’m like, ‘Am I the guy who’s gonna make it all fail?’”But in the end, Brolin had no regrets about losing out on Batman, as he admitted in a 2018 interview with ComicBookMovie. “We indirectly talked about it, but we never got to the point because I wasn’t the guy for him. I’m really glad it didn’t happen.

I haven’t thought twice about it,” he said.Brolin’s imposing stature and natural intensity in front of the camera made him a fan-preferred casting for the DCEU’s Batman. Nonetheless, Affleck generated a thoughtful and weary version of both the man and the hero that lots of DC fans enjoyed.

Snyder’s DCEU movies featuring Affleck’s Batman didn’t receive a positive reception from critics, but they still are widely appreciated by fans for the filmmaker’s quintessential grittiness. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was perhaps too early for Brolin’s older, roughed-up version of Batman, which explains why Snyder went with Affleck. Despite Missing Out on Batman, Josh Brolin Remains a Legend of the Superhero Genre It’s no secret that portraying Thanos cemented Brolin as a superhero movie icon.

Although his likeness only partially comes through in the giant purple supervillain, Brolin’s voice performance lends a sinister, and sometimes sympathetic, quality to Thanos. There’s no doubt that Brolin could have delivered an impressive rendition of Batman and Bruce Wayne, however, so many actors have played the character over the decades and, on the flip side, Brolin remains the only on-screen portrayal of Thanos, thus making his interpretation the defining version of the villain. No one can rival Brolin’s Thanos, and it’s unlikely that another actor will ever take on the role, so even though Brolin’s Batman likely won’t ever come to fruition, the actor has already made a lasting mark on the superhero genre.

Josh Brolin’s Thanos takes center stage in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, which are both available to stream on Disney+.The post Before He Was Thanos, Josh Brolin Got Very Close to Playing Zack Snyder’s Batman appeared first on ComicBook.com.

.