The DC Universe seems to be in a constant state of flux. Since the rough reception of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, the franchise has been held together by Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and string. There have already been several projects that are unconnected from each other in development. Chief among those films is the Joker origin film starring Joaquin Phoenix, Robert DeNiro and Zazie Beetz. Another film that has been in development is Matt Reeves’ Batman film. That feature is looking to cast someone other than Ben Affleck as the Caped Crusader. After a meeting with Oscar Isaac, DC may have found their new Bats.
Most comic book audiences and geeks are used to Isaac at this point. The Guatemalan-born actor racked up roles in blockbusters for the past few years, most importantly Star Wars. His character, Poe Dameron quickly became a fan favorite and feels like an important piece in the development of the franchise going forward. Isaac also took a turn as the villainous Apocalypse in X-Men: Apocalypse in 2016.
However, Isaac made his bones as a dramatic actor. His role in Inside Llewyn Davis with the Coen Brothers made Isaac an instant must-watch talent. He’s also taken on roles in Drive, A Most Violent Year, Ex Machina, and Annihilation. He’s a very good actor who could easily portray both parts of the Batman character. Look no further than the playboy billionaire with ill intent he portrayed in Ex Machina. If nothing else we know he can dance.
At the same time, we don’t know for a fact that he’ll be playing Batman. As we’ve seen before, Isaac is a good choice for villains. The issues with Apocalypse were more centered on the storytelling, not Isaac’s ability. He could very easily take hold of a role like Edward Nigma (The Riddler), Oswald Cobblepot (The Penguin) or even Roman Silas (Black Mask). Even if we want to see Batman fight the mob, he’d be a credible mob boss (see Suburbicon). Each of those roles requires considerable skill to pull off, and Isaac can easily commit to characters. It’s a smart move for DC to court Isaac, and with any with Reeves directing, he could become an important cog in the future of the DC Universe.
