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Sebastian Stan never thought of himself as a potential Batman, but tried out for another DC Hero - and has a soft spot for the Riddler
Sebastian Stan isn't hoping to play Batman any time soon, but said, "never say never" about DC's Dark Knight.
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Sebastian Stan has been building one of the most interesting careers in Hollywood for years now. You may have first come across him in projects like The Covenant, Gossip Girl, Black Swan, or Captain America: The First Avenger, but since gaining widespread attention for his role as the Winter Soldier in the MCU, Stan has taken on auteur-driven projects rather than studio blockbusters. Films like A Different Man, Fresh, Destroyer, The Apprentice, and I, Tonya have all brought Stan critical acclaim and collaborations with directors like Karyn Kusama and Craig Gillespie. But what about the superhero projects that Stan was nearly cast in early on in his career?
On the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, Stan revealed, "Green Lantern was another one that I screentested for. I remember getting there, and it was like, me, Justin Timberlake, Jared Leto, Ryan Reynolds, and maybe one other person, and I'm looking at these guys, going, 'I'm fucked. There's no way this is happening for me.'" Even though he didn't get the role, Stan thinks it was for the best. "Looking back, I'm almost glad it didn't [happen], because I don't know if I could have handled that level of attention like some of those guys," the actor concluded.
It's worth noting that Stan is now reportedly in talks to star opposite Robert Pattinson in The Batman Part II. Has he ever had aspirations to become The Dark Knight?
"I don't know if Batman's for me. But never say never. I don't know, there's so many characters. I told you, I've always had a soft spot for that Riddler, but that one's been done," Stan admitted. Luckily for all of us, it looks like Paul Dano's turn as The Riddler didn't preclude Stan from collaborating with The Batman director Matt Reeves.
Look, I'm just a guy who knows way too much about Batman, but I think Sebastian Stan would make an absolutely killer Professor Pyg. We know from his performance in A Different Man that Stan is great at acting with his face covered by prosthetics. In the movie Fresh, Stan crafted an utterly disturbing performance as a cannibal serial killer who lured in his victims with charisma and an upsettingly good taste in music (You're Not Good Enough by Blood Orange? Impeccable choice). I could go on, but Professor Pyg is one of Batman's most provocative villains, and Stan in the role would only heighten the intensity of the character. Thank you for coming to my TEDTalk.
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