Jake Gyllenhaal Says He Is “Intimidated” To Play Batman Two Decades After Losing ‘Batman Begins’

Despite losing out on the role of Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy to Christian Bale, Jake Gyllenhaal’s interest in portraying Batman on screen has remained steadfast. During press interviews for his new Prime Video action film “Road House,” Gyllenhaal expressed his continued enthusiasm for playing the iconic character when asked by a leading Hollywood news portal.

Gyllenhaal shared, “Oh, man. That’s a classic [role]. It’s an honour. Speaking of playing roles that other incredible actors have played in the past…when I think about it, I’m going to play Iago in ‘Othello’ with Denzel Washington, and I think about like the history of actors that have played that role throughout time, and I’m intimidated by that. So that’s the first level. That’s what I’m working on right now. But of course. It would be an honour always. Those types of things and those roles are classics.”

While Robert Pattinson currently assumes the role of Batman in Warner Bros.’s latest installment, “The Batman Part II” slated for release on October 2, 2026, a new actor will soon be chosen to portray Batman in “Batman: The Brave and the Bold.” This film, directed by Andy Muschietti of “The Flash” and “It” fame, marks Batman’s introduction into the evolving universe crafted by DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran, with Pattinson’s portrayal remaining independent. Gyllenhaal’s potential involvement in this new iteration of Batman seems plausible, as he appears open to the idea.

David S. Goyer, the co-creator of the story for “Batman Begins” and co-writer of the script with Christopher Nolan, recently confirmed rumours that Gyllenhaal was his preferred choice to play Batman in Nolan’s trilogy. While praising Bale’s performance, Goyer collaborated with Nolan on the narratives for “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Gyllenhaal’s opportunity in the superhero genre eventually came when he was cast as the antagonist Mysterio opposite Tom Holland in 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” Despite the success of “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” which grossed over $1 billion worldwide, Gyllenhaal’s role as Mysterio remains his sole appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date.