MOVIE NEWS – Jensen Ackles might be forever linked with Dean Winchester from Supernatural, but his range as an actor runs deep. Gone are the days of soap opera melodrama—these days, you’ll find him leading Prime Video’s Countdown, playing a gutsy LAPD detective diving headfirst into danger. Ackles thrives in raw, kinetic fight scenes, but he brings just as much skill to the quiet, emotional beats of a story.

Whether he’s a campus heartbreaker in Dawson’s Creek or a terrifying killer in a cult horror remake, Ackles never phones it in. Still, there’s one part that’s eluded him: Batman. He’s been open about wanting to try the cowl on for size, and when asked recently by Collider, he made no secret of his ambition. For James Gunn’s new DCU era, Ackles could be the ideal Dark Knight.

Ackles Brings Real Superhero Experience

Supernatural fans might claim him, but Ackles’ history with comic book heroes is longer than most realize. If you know him from The Boys, you’ve seen his turn as Soldier Boy—a twisted, dangerous parody of classic super-soldiers, whose backstory is as messy as the universe around him. Ackles nails the morally grey antihero, blending brute force with unexpected depth.

Before his time in The Boys, Ackles took a spin through Smallville as Jason Teague, a coach whose life gets tangled with Lana Lang’s and Clark Kent’s destiny. That superhero experience—across multiple genres—makes him no stranger to the world of capes and chaos.

Master of Complicated, Tough Characters

Dean Winchester isn’t your usual TV tough guy. Under the surface, Ackles built a character defined by loyalty, sacrifice, and emotional wounds. Dean’s sense of responsibility, forged by a harsh childhood and family tragedy, made him a surrogate parent, protector, and reluctant hero. His journey is all about carrying burdens, bottling up pain, and putting others before himself—qualities that fit the tortured soul of Bruce Wayne like a glove. Ackles’ ability to mix vulnerability with intensity makes him a natural for Batman.

He Knows the Bat-Family—Inside and Out

This wouldn’t be Ackles’ first time in the Batcave. He’s voiced Batman in eight different animated movies, starting with Batman: The Long Halloween and most recently in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths. His voice work captures not just the gruff power of the Dark Knight, but also Bruce Wayne’s haunted humanity.

Ackles’ Gotham ties run deeper—he played Jason Todd, aka Red Hood, in Batman: Under the Red Hood, bringing depth to one of Batman’s most tragic relationships. These performances show Ackles understands what makes the Bat-family tick, and how to handle the emotional tightrope between Batman’s twin identities.

He’s even admitted the challenge would be daunting—telling Collider, “You never want to drop the ball on a role that big; it’s terrifying, but it would also be a huge honor, a real milestone.” Given his experience with layered characters, stunt work, and superhero universes, Jensen Ackles is more than ready to bring something new to Gotham if Gunn gives him the call.

Source: Deadline