James Gunn Ignites Buzz: Is Tom Brittney the Next Batman?

James Gunn dropped one spicy line on Threads and, shocker, everyone started connecting dots. The name at the center of it: Tom Brittney. Yes, the same Tom Brittney who nearly ended up as Clark Kent. Now the chatter has shifted to Batman.

What Gunn actually said

'That guy is a great f---ing actor!'

Gunn posted that in reply to a Threads post that featured Brittney and casually labeled him 'Bruce.' He had just shared a look at storyboards for Man of Tomorrow, his Superman sequel, so the timing felt... pointed. Gunn usually ignores fan-casting posts. He didn’t this time.

Why Brittney keeps coming up

Brittney was a finalist to play Clark Kent in Gunn’s Superman. He even did a full-costume screen test and reportedly scuffed up Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel suit in the process, which is one of those very nerdy details people love to bring up. Gunn has publicly said he’s a big fan of Brittney’s work and, to be fair, that part tracks with this latest compliment.

The bigger casting pattern

Gunn has a habit of keeping actors he likes in the mix for later roles. Case in point: Nicholas Hoult was in the Superman finals and ended up as Lex Luthor in Man of Tomorrow. Gunn has said production on Man of Tomorrow is set to start in April 2026.

So... is Brittney Batman?

Nothing close to official. Gunn has previously said he already has people in mind for Batman, but those names don’t always translate to a done deal. He’s also made it clear that some of the actors who almost became Superman are still very much on his radar for other parts. Historically, Superman and Batman are often cast from a similar physical mold, so the overlap is not crazy.

• Gunn shares Man of Tomorrow storyboards on Threads
• A fan posts Brittney with a 'Bruce' tag
• Gunn replies: 'That guy is a great f---ing actor!'
• Speculation spikes around The Brave and the Bold, which still has no release date
• Brittney previously screen-tested as Superman in Cavill’s suit and made the finals
• Gunn often repurposes finalists: Nicholas Hoult went from Superman contender to Lex Luthor in Man of Tomorrow
• Gunn says Man of Tomorrow starts filming April 2026
• Gunn has names in mind for Batman, but nothing locked

Bottom line: Gunn praising Brittney isn’t confirmation of anything. But given the history here, it’s enough to make you raise an eyebrow and keep an eye on The Brave and the Bold whenever that finally locks a date.