Bodyguard Star Richard Madden Becomes Batman For James Gunn's DCU In Stunning Fan Art

Since leaping from the comic pages to the big screen, the subject of who would make the best Batman has been an ongoing debate among fans. In addition to the many actors who have donned the iconic cowl, fans also have plenty of performers in mind who could leave their mark on the hero's cinematic legacy. With the DC Universe set to give us a new interpretation of the beloved superhero in the upcoming "The Brave and the Bold," such casting discussions are gaining traction yet again. Now, one passionate artist has envisioned one of the most popular fan casting choices through their artwork.

Digital artist Hasan Kazi (@imaginativehk) shared a portrait of actor Richard Madden as Batman on Instagram. Widely recognized for his roles in "Game of Thrones," "Rocketman," and "Cinderella." Madden also received widespread acclaim for his performance as troubled war veteran David Budd in the British TV thriller "Bodyguard," which nabbed the performer a Golden Globe win in 2019. He has also had his experience in the realm of comic book cinema, having starred as Ikaris in the 2021 Marvel film, "Eternals."

Kazi's piece paints a clear picture of what Madden might look like in the role, presenting a grizzled take on Bruce Wayne. The artist has high hopes for Madden in the part, with the caption reading, "From Ikaris to Gotham's Dark Knight, Richard Madden embodies the perfect balance of charisma and intensity, making him an ideal choice to don the cape and cowl as Batman."

Richard Madden certainly has his supporters, such as u/Skiptree077 on Reddit who praised his work on "Game of Thrones" and "Cinderella. "Based on those two roles, he definitely has the range to pull off the duality of Bruce/Batman imo," they commented. Yet others have doubts, fearing that Madden may be too similar to a fellow British actor, Robert Pattinson, who played the DC hero in 2022's "The Batman."

While acknowledging that Madden would take a different thematic approach to the material from Pattinson, Redditor u/frostbittenfingers9 feels they wouldn't stand out enough visually, stating, "They're both 37-year-old Europeans with naturally brooding eyes and razor-sharp jawline ... I think they are simply too similar in appearance and general aura to be distinct." Similarly, u/Puppy_Basket said, "I see the appeal ... but I feel like there would be far too much overlap between him and Robert Pattinson's Batman."

A counter-argument is offered by u/thoughtzthrukeyz, who is certain the version of Batman we'll see in "The Brave and the Bold" will be distinct enough to separate the two performers. Noting that Pattinson's Batman is meant to be a younger interpretation, the user states, "I don't expect [James] Gunn's Batman to necessarily be old per se, but he definitely will be a more seasoned Batman, especially given Damian Wayne is Robin in the film, so I think they'll be quite different thematically."

We have some time before learning who will take up the cowl, but like previous Batman actors whom some fans were skeptical of, Hasan Kazi's art makes it easy to see that Madden could blow expectations out of the water.