Jensen Ackles Cast As Batman In The Long Halloween
Jensen Ackles is the new Batman.
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In what may be one of the most exciting casting announcements we’ve seen in a while, The Hollywood Reporter has come forth with the news that Jensen Ackles, the popular Supernatural actor, will be voicing Batman in an animated DC movie.
That’s right, folks. Jensen Ackles will be portraying Batman/Bruce Wayne in the upcoming two-part animated adaptation of Batman: The Long Halloween. The highly-anticipated DC Animated Movie will follow the release of Justice Society: World War II and centers around Batman during his early days as the Caped Crusader.
Written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Tim Sale, Batman: The Long Halloween first hit comic shelves back in 1996 and was an immediate success. Today, it is still considered one of the best Batman stories ever conceived. The fact that Jensen Ackles is involved at all will be more than enough to get fans excited. Heck, it will likely draw in new viewers, too. Supernatural was a massively successful show during its 15-season run and still holds a special place in the hearts of the countless fans it captivated.
Batman: The Long Halloween is one of the stories that inspired Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed, three-film take on the character. It also supposedly has some bearing on the plot of the Matt Reeves-helmed, Robert Pattinson-led The Batman. That isn’t confirmed yet, but it does reinforce one critical thing: It is a universally beloved Batman book, and it is about time it got more attention. Jensen Ackles being cast will certainly help with that.
Joining Jensen Ackles is a mind-bogglingly stacked cast. Glee actress Naya Rivera, who completed work on the film before her death in July 2020, voices Selina Kyle/Catwoman, while Josh Duhamel, Billy Burke, Titus Welliver, David Dastmalchian, Troy Baker, Amy Landecker, Julie Nathanson, Jack Quaid, Fred Tatasciore, and Alastair Duncan round out the rest of the cast. Among the characters expected to appear in The Long Halloween are Batman staples Carmine Falcone, James Gordon, Joker, Calendar Man, Barbara Gordon, and Solomon Grundy. If that cast does not get you at least a bit excited, then the movie honestly may just not be for you. I’m definitely more excited for some of the additions than I am for others, but all in all, that is an unbeatable roster that Jensen Ackles is leading.
On the live-action side of things, though, Batman looks to be in some trouble. Michael Keaton may not be returning to the role after all, and Ben Affleck’s part in the film also remains shrouded in doubt. But hey, at least Bat-fans have a solidly confirmed performance to which they can look forward. Many may not realize this, but this is not the actor’s first foray into the DC Universe. Jensen Ackles has portrayed a DC character before, showing up as Jason Todd/Red Hood in the 2010 animated film Batman: Under The Red Hood.
The Superman: Man of Tomorrow directing/writing duo Chris Palmer and Tim Sheridan are teaming up again for The Long Halloween, which, besides the casting of Jensen Ackles, is probably the most exciting aspect of the production. That film was fantastic and immediately cemented itself as one of the best DC animated movies of recent memory.
