From Heath Ledger to Josh Brolin: Ten actors who were almost cast as Batman

Mel Gibson

Michael Keaton played Batman in Tim Burton's 1989 directorial, but the casting choice did not go down well with fans. Guess who was the director's first choice? The one and only, Mel Gibson. Unfortunately, the actor could not take up the role because he was busy with Lethal Weapon 2.

Nicholas Hoult

After Matt Reeves was announced as director of The Batman, Nicholas Hoult was in the short list of the actors considered for the role along with Robert Pattinson.

Josh Brolin

The Thanos actors was one of the contenders to play the Caped Crusader in Zack Snyder's Batman V Superman. In one interview, the actor said he was "glad" he didn't land the role, which was ultimately given to Ben Affleck.

Cillian Murphy

Cillian Murphy had auditioned to play Bruce Wayne/Batman for Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, but instead ended up playing Dr Jonathan Crane/The Scarecrow in the trilogy.

Pierce Brosnan

Pierce Brosnan, who crafted his legacy with the iconic James Bond role, was offered Tim Burton's Batman. He rejected the role, and in an interview revealed how the conversation went down with the director: "Batman held such an indelible place in my own childhood, but I said something flippant to Tim Burton like, ‘Any guy who wears his underpants outside his trousers cannot be taken seriously.’"

Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke was pursued by Warner Bros to portray the superhero in Batman Forever, but the actor turned down the role citing fear of being typecast.

Jake Gyllenhaal

Among the names considered to play the titular role in Batman Begins was Jake Gyllenhaal, but Christian Bale was the one who scored this deal.

Willem Dafoe

Though a lot of DC fans have widely wanted Willem Dafoe to play Joker, for he has proved himself as an actor by playing different shades of crazed and deranged, he was also a candidate for Batman.

Jon Hamm

Mad Men actor Jon Hamm could have almost been Batman, but Warner Bros had a different vision for a superhero — they were looking for someone older.