Zack Snyder on Jeffrey Dean Morgan being cast as Flashpoint Batman
By Eric Bartsch
Zack Snyder thinks Jeffrey Dean Morgan could have been a cool Flashpoint Batman if he was given the chance.
In an area of the DCEU Multiverse created by The Flash’s actions, there exists a wasteland where heroes are at each other’s throats, there is no Superman, and Bruce Wayne was killed in the alley outside the theater on that fateful night, not his parents. And the surviving Thomas Wayne would craft the mantle of the Dark Knight, donning it as a merciless gun-toting vigilante dubbed “Flashpoint Batman.”
Outside that pocket universe, the elder Wayne’s arc ends the same way every time on the comic page and the silver screen. Jeffrey Dean Morgan helped bring that tragic story to life in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice when he played Thomas Wayne and his first-act demise wasn’t exactly the end.
Fans were hopeful in the following years that Morgan would return to Thomas Wayne and play the alternate, ruthless Batman when they learned Flashpoint was going to encompass the plot for Ezra Miller’s solo Flash movie. There were solid rumors it was going to happen plus enthusiasm from Morgan.
More from DCEU
- New Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer pushes Arthur to his limits
- 7 actors who could replace Ezra Miller as The Flash in the DC Universe
- James Gunn gives interesting update of Superman and Supergirl movies at DC Studios
- All 7 Wonder Woman actresses ranked from worst to best
- All 8 Black Canary actresses ranked from worst to best
Alas, him taking that next step in Thomas Wayne’s development was not to be, and The Flash will feature the returning Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton as each of their incarnations of the Caped Crusader.
BVS director Zack Snyder commented on what could’ve been, and almost was, in a conversation with YouTuber TheFilmJunkee. As someone familiar with Morgan’s acting ability – having directed him in BVS and Watchmen – he noted that “he can do the work, that’s no problem,” adding that “it could have been cool.”
Snyder also addressed if he thought Morgan was going to play Batman one day when he cast him. As you may have guessed, that wasn’t the case. “I don’t think it was, although I will say that I love Jeffrey Dean,” he said.
He also liked the toughness Morgan brought to the part of Thomas Wayne, explaining:
"“I cast him because I liked the idea that Thomas Wayne was like a bit of a tough guy, not a pushover. I like also the duality that that’s the reason why they got shot, you know, was that he didn’t give his wallet right away. He tried to fight back a little bit, which I think is a thing that has haunted Bruce in some ways.”"
Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne is definitely haunted and tried to channel that energy against Superman. That setup was softly rebooted, and DC’s cinematic universe is still being retooled as of this moment, but there is no sign that a window for JDM will open even with Snyder’s Cut of Justice League on the horizon.
The Flash, minus Morgan and your textbook Flashpoint Batman, speeds into production in April for a slated 2022 release.
Next. Michael Jai White on how Heath Ledger’s death affected his Dark Knight role. dark
Tell us below if you agree with Zack Snyder and think we’re missing out on one cool incarnation of Batman.