There’s no bad blood between DC Studios and Josh Brolin following the actor’s rumored casting as Hal Jordan in the upcoming Lanterns series. It was reported that Brolin was formerly offered the part by DC Studios, but turned it down, with Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) now officially taking on the role. Despite missing out on the part, Brolin may still be holding out for another role in the DC Universe. Speaking to ComicBook.com, Brolin addressed the casting process for the film, and hinted that he may still have a future in the DC Universe. The actor didn’t dive too deep into why talks for Lanterns fell apart, saying “You know what? Green Lantern didn’t work out, but that’s okay,” Brolin said. While he didn’t get the role, Josh Brolin is happy that the project is still moving ahead without him. He continued:

“It’s working out. Who is it going to be, Kyle Chandler? I love him as an actor, I think he’s wonderful, actually.”

Brolin gave a similarly indirect answer about his own future in the DC Universe. The Avengers: Endgame star hasn’t been confirmed or rumored for any other DC projects, but said that he’s always leaving the door open for more superhero movies. He said:

“And, you know, we’ll see what’s down the line, man.”

Who Could Josh Brolin Play in the DCU?

HBO’s Lanterns — which has been described as a True Detective-esque buddy cop show — may have found its lead, but there are still plenty of characters in the DC Universe that Josh Brolin could play. Assessing the upcoming slate of projects, labeled under the “Gods & Monsters” phase of the DCU, there are some incredibly exciting roles that Brolin could contend for.

Perhaps the most interesting possibility is a role that only recently became available. DC Studios have announced that a Deathstroke and Bane crossover movie is in the works. While seeing Brolin as a juiced up, 300+ pound supervillain is somewhat unrealistic (without Thanos levels of CGI), he could make for an excellent Slade Wilson. Fans complained about Brolin’s age when he was up for the role of Hal Jordan, but the No Country for Old Men star has the perfect look (and hair) to play the DC Universe’s greatest mercenary. The actor is also no stranger to physical superhero roles, having played Cable in Deadpool 2. Now that we’re manifesting Josh Brolin as Slade, seeing Brolin go toe-to-toe with Batman, wearing the iconic orange and black mask has surely become a cinematic necessity.

Alternatively, and hear us out… Josh Brolin could play Batman. While the DC Universe will likely search for a younger actor who can reprise the role several times across the franchise’s lifespan, the fact that Gunn is making The Brave and the Bold the first Batman story, means that all four Robins will likely already be established in the timeline. As a result, Bruce Wayne has to have some years under his belt in order to have already cared for and trained three adopted children, before meeting his own biological son.

Lanterns
is expected to release sometime in 2026.