When it comes to superhero characters, the argument could be made that none is more iconic than Batman. The vigilante was originally created for DC Comics by artists Bob Kane and Bill Finger in the 1930s.
Actor Lewis Wilson was the first person ever to portray Batman on the big screen, in the 1943 eponymous film. In more recent decades, Christian Bale, Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck - and even George Clooney - have stepped into those esteemed shoes.
The latest Hollywood star to play the role was Robert Pattinson in this year's acclaimed film, The Batman. Pattinson was, however, reportedly underpaid in comparison to other Batman actors of the modern era.
The 35-year-old will nonetheless be proud to be part of such hallowed company. Another A-list actor who nearly joined the pantheon of Batman actors is Josh Brolin. The Dune star is best known for portraying Thanos, the ultimate villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It has now emerged, though, that he could have had just as significant a role (if not more) in the DC Extended Universe, had he successfully landed the part as one of the franchise's two biggest superheroes - alongside Superman.
Josh Brolin's Career Path
Josh Brolin has been acting since the mid-1980s, when he was transitioning from teenage into his early 20s. Some of his earliest roles came in the movies The Goonies and Thrashin'. He also had a recurring part in the NBC crime drama series, Private Eye.
After the turn of the millennium, Brolin took on multiple iconic roles, starting with former President George W. Bush in W. and San Francisco politician-turned-assassin Dan White in Milk. For the latter, he was nominated for an Oscar in the category 'Best Supporting Actor.'
In 2014, Marvel officially announced that they had cast him in the role of Thanos, 'often referred to as the 'Mad Titan' [and] a member of The Eternals (a group of god-like beings with immense power)'.
It was at around this same time that DC Films and Warner Bros. Pictures were also sounding him out for the Batman role.
Brolin debuted the character Thanos in Guardians of the Galaxy that same year, albeit only in an uncredited cameo. The same happened in Avengers: Age of Ultron the following year, before his first appearance proper in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War.
Who Beat Josh Brolin To The Role Of Batman?
DC had enjoyed a lot of success with their 2013 picture Man of Steel, which centered around the character of Superman - portrayed by Henry Cavill. To capitalize on the positive reception, the franchise quickly got to work on a sequel, that would pit their top two superhero characters against each other.
Zack Snyder had directed the first film, and was once again put in charge of the follow-up, which would come to be titled Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
The movie's synopsis on Rotten Tomatoes reads in part: 'Convinced that Superman is a threat to humanity, Batman embarks on a personal vendetta to end his reign on Earth, while the conniving Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) launches his own crusade against the Man of Steel.'
At the time, The Hollywood Reporter reported that DC was 'seeking a 40-ish' Batman, and listed Josh Brolin as one of the front-runners. Also said to be in the running were Joe Manganiello and Richard Armitage, among others.
In the end, an outsider to said race - Ben Affleck - was chosen to play the part.
How Does Josh Brolin Feel About Missing Out On The Role Of Batman?
Ben Affleck won a lot of praise for his performance as Batman in Dawn of Justice, although the film itself received a mixed reception from critics. He followed that up by reprising the role in Suicide Squad (also 2016), Justice League (2017), and of course therefore, the later-released Zack Snyder's cut of Justice League (2021).
The Good Will Hunting star walked away from the character of Batman after Justice League, saying that the part deserved an actor who was 'dying to do it', and that that was not him at the time.
Fans have, however, been clamoring to see more of him as Batman in future projects, and the actor himself has admitted that he is open to a return to the role.
On his part, Josh Brolin revealed that he was excited at the prospect of becoming Batman, and he might still do it one day, if the opportunity presents itself. "Honestly, that would have been a fun deal," he said in a recent interview. "And maybe I’ll [still] do it when I’m 80.