Jonathan Bailey Sets the Record Straight on Batman and James Bond

Jonathan Bailey just did the late-night dance around two of Hollywood's most loaded questions: would he be the next James Bond or the next Batman? Short answer: he flirted with the idea, cracked jokes, praised James Gunn, and gave nothing away. Classic.

The Fallon moment

On the November 4, 2025 episode of The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon brought up the fan casting chatter that has Bailey suiting up as 007. Fallon went full hype-man, basically saying after seeing Wicked and Jurassic World, Bailey can do it all. Bailey answered by turning it into a bit: he'd take Bond if Fallon signed on as his Moneypenny. Fallon played along immediately.

Then Fallon pivoted to Batman. Same energy, different cape: Bailey shot back that Fallon could be his Robin. Fallon, again, was in. This was shamelessly goofy, and it worked.

When Fallon actually asked if he'd play Batman in James Gunn's DCU, Bailey got respectful and careful. He name-checked the guys he grew up watching as the Dark Knight and praised Gunn without actually saying yes.

"Would I do Batman? Listen, I grew up with Val Kilmer, George Clooney, obviously Christian Bale, and Robert Pattinson. It's a legacy. And I think James Gunn is amazing."

He stopped short of committing, teased that who knows what he'd say the next time he visits the show, and laughed it off. The Tonight Show account later posted the clip on December 1, framing it as him addressing the Bond and Batman fancasts.

Where things actually stand

As of now, neither role is cast. Gunn said in a September chat with IGN that plenty of big-name actors have reached out about playing Batman. On the Bond side, Deadline reported that Denis Villeneuve is eyeing a fresh face for 007, with casting expected to kick off after he finishes Dune: Part Three. That last bit is an interesting industry wrinkle, and it suggests the search is still early.

The quick version

• Jonathan Bailey joked on The Tonight Show that he'd do Bond if Jimmy Fallon played Moneypenny, and Batman if Fallon was his Robin.
• When pressed on Batman in James Gunn's DCU, Bailey praised past Batmen and Gunn, calling the role a legacy, but did not commit.
• He teased that his next Fallon visit might bring news, but left it at that.
• The Tonight Show posted the clip on December 1, 2025.
• There is no official casting yet for DCU's Batman or the next James Bond.
• Gunn says many big actors are interested in Batman; Deadline says Villeneuve wants a fresh face for Bond once Dune: Part Three is wrapped.

Bottom line: Bailey knows exactly how to keep the door open without walking through it. For now, it's flirty banter, respectful nods to the legacy, and a whole lot of wait and see.