Although Robert Pattinson has already proven to be a superb Batman, there is an underrated actor whose $144 million horror hit proves they are also ideal for the Brave and the Bold’s version of the role. Batman has a long and storied history on the big screen. From Michael Keaton’s campy take on the character in Tim Burton’s Batman movies to Christian Bale’s growly antihero from Christopher Nolan’s iconic Dark Knight trilogy, there are plenty of different ways for an actor to interpret the part. Most recently, Robert Pattinson’s take in The Batman earned him critical acclaim and commercial success in 2022.
However, DC head honcho James Gunn confirmed in 2025 that Pattinson’s Batman would not be part of his cinematic universe, and that Brave and the Bold will recast the iconic character. Fortunately, the perfect actor for the role was already revealed as far back as 2020. The Invisible Man antagonist Oliver Jackson-Cohen is an ideal fit for this new version of Batman, and director Leigh Whannell’s 2020 horror movie is full of evidence for this claim.
From his hulking build to his low voice, Jackson-Cohen is well-suited to the part of Batman in myriad ways. However, The Invisible Man is a particularly great showcase for his potential in the role. For one thing, the star plays an unhinged rich guy who somehow has a plan for every eventuality in the horror movie. Although The Invisible Man leans into the horror of this premise, it is easy to imagine Jackson-Cohen bringing the same blend of smarmy charm and barely-disguised simmering intensity to Batman.
Meanwhile, The Invisible Man’s villain role proves that the star has both the physicality and the voice for the iconic role. Fortunately, the rest of the star’s screen career proves that he can play a sympathetic, compelling protagonist like Bruce Wayne, too. Most notably, his breakout role in Netflix’s horror masterpiece The Haunting of Hill House saw Jackson-Cohen put his physical bulk to disarming use in the role of the harmless, unbearably kind-hearted heroin addict Luke.
Although Luke is often seen as a threat by other characters, Jackson-Cohen’s performance makes the character a truly harrowing sweetheart whose childhood trauma derailed a promising life. In this regard, his role in The Haunting of Hill House is just as indicative of the star’s potential in the role of Batman. Blending the threat of The Invisible Man with the poignancy of that early horror role could give the English actor the perfect balance for the famous part.
Although there has been some fan casting of Jackson-Cohen in the role online, he doesn’t currently get mentioned as often as the likes of Alan Ritchson, Jensen Ackles, and Brandon Sklenar do. Despite this, at 39, Jackson-Cohen is still squarely in the right age range to take on the part. Thus, The Invisible Man’s breakout star should be part of the conversation around who The Brave and the Bold’s Batman will be, as his impressive screen CV has already seen him display the range required by the role across a couple of earlier parts.
