Jeffrey Dean Morgan to become Batman?
By Barlow Adams
Is one of comics’ most beloved actors set to become Batman?
Comic fans are already intimately familiar with the talents of Jeffrey Dean Morgan thanks to star turns playing iconic roles like The Comedian in Watchmen and big bad Negan in The Walking Dead (not to mention a by now mythical portrayal of demon-hunting patriarch John Winchester on the cult-favorite turned long-running television franchise Supernatural ), but many paid little attention to a minor role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice where he appeared as the caped crusader’s murdered father, Thomas Wayne.
Now, that somewhat unassuming performance may set the stage for another starring role for the man who has already wielded Lucille and exposed the greatest comic conspiracy of our time.
According to Comic Book, Morgan, when speaking at a convention in New Jersey, stated, “There’s a role in the DC Universe I’ve got my eye on”.
Fans have long speculated that Morgan’s small part in Batman v Superman might pay big dividends down the road, and this excitement has only built since the movie Flashpoint was confirmed at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.
As some may know, Flashpoint is the name of an ambitious Geoff Johns crossover arc in which Flash’s time-traveling has resulted in dire consequences. The most dramatic being the unexpected death of Bruce Wayne in lieu of his parents on that infamous night outside the theater.
That tragic event leads Martha Wayne to suffer a psychotic break and end up as The Joker while Thomas, her husband and Bruce’s father, dons the cowl himself as an alternate reality Batman.
Some believe that Dean Morgan’s inclusion in BvS at all was part of a forward-thinking plan to have him reprise the role in Flashpoint, and it certainly makes solid sense as JDM is far too talented (and expensive) to bring on only for such an unremarkable appearance.
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There’s no way to know for sure, but if his evasive behavior and non-committal answers during his recent appearances on late-night talk shows are any indication, signs point to one of the genre’s most beloved actors donning the legendary cape and cowl in the near future.