"Batman" director Matt Reeves has chosen to keep his version of Gotham City, featuring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, separate from the larger DC universe — meaning the DCU's Wayne Manor still needs a traveler. Directed by Andy Muschietti the upcoming live-action The Brave and the Bold will see The Dark Knight in a way we've never seen him on the big screen before: as a father. Confirmed during Gunn's first post on the DC slateIn that world, Batman will take his estranged son, Damien Wayne, under his wing and fight the criminals of Gotham as a heroic father-son team.

It's still early for The Brave and the Bold, which doesn't have a premiere date yet and has yet to cast its Batman. Many actors have been considered for the role, or suggested by fans, over the years - and one name that's been bandied about a lot is Jake Gyllenhaal. Although it's hard to imagine now, Gyllenhaal has an interesting thing that would make him ideal for the role. In fact, that there was a time when one of the most respected directors in Hollywood had in mind to play Gotham's protector.

Before Christian Bale was inhaling throat lozenges by the truckload after taking on the mantle of the fearsome vigilante, Jake Gyllenhaal was among the list of prospects being considered for Christopher Nolan's take on Batman. Just like Cillian Murphy was a finalist for Bruce Wayne before becoming Scarecrow, Gyllenhaal was eyed by the director, but eventually received a courtesy phone call from the director breaking the bad news. During the appearance of The Howard Stern ShowGyllenhaal explained how he took the news, like any call of this nature, in his stride:

"I remember getting a call from Christopher Nolan and I thought, 'I just got a call from Christopher Nolan personally. That's very cool. I've come quite far. I went from them and I went they're not sure (about me) Call saying they're really thinking about you for this movie so okay I should go on.

Over the years, many actors have come close and after a second pass have managed to land the gig they've been looking for. Henry Cavill tried and missed Superman Returns before landing Man of Steel, so could the same be possible for Gyllenhaal? (It's probably for the best that he didn't get the first try anyway, especially since his sister Maggie Gyllenhaal ended up being the love interest. Last we checked, Batman was Bruce Wayne, not Jaime Lannister.)

By this point, Jake Gyllenhaal has plenty of credits that prove he's capable of trading it off for one of a variety of useful ones. Batman needs to be sharp, smart and above all terrifying, and in 2013 he checked all those boxes with one of The best films of Denis Villeneuve"Prisoners".

Gyllenhaal played Detective Loki, a cop assigned to find two missing girls - one of whom is the daughter of Hugh Jackman's troubled father, who takes matters into his own hands. But while Jackman smashes sinks and stalks suspects, Gyllenhaal struggles just as hard trying to do his job and self-control. Loki is the kind of hero who fights his own rules as Batman has always been portrayed. Gyllenhaal's character is always determined to keep both feet behind a line he's never willing to cross, but it's one scene from "Prisoners" in particular that shows what Gyllenhaal's potential dark knight could look like if he crossed that line.

During a visit to the house, speaking with David Dastmalchian's Bob Taylor, Loki grills his suspect on his doorstep. It's an intense situation, not so much for Taylor's flustered response (which certainly adds to the drama), but for Loki's unwavering focus now that he thinks he has his man. Gyllenhaal's take as this detective gives a glimpse of just how fierce his Batman could be - shaking Gotham's criminals as they hang upside down.

The Dark Knight's true skill is how he masquerades as Gotham's poster child and billionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne. Through so many iterations of Batman, the balancing act of playing both has been a skill few have mastered. But in several of Gyllenhaal's previous films, he proves he can fool the world.

For the charming, gregarious smooth talker that Bruce Wayne must occasionally be, you only have to look at his performance as Jamie in Love and Other Drugs (where he happened to star opposite Selina Kyle/Nolan's Catwoman, Anne Hathaway). The film sees Gyllenhaal playing a womanizer who finds winning women's hearts as easy as selling to pharmaceutical companies. Proof positive he can create a slick and duplicitous Bruce when the need arises.

Then there's Apple TV+'s Presumed Innocent, which features a confident, savvy Gyllenhaal leading a double life when the woman he's having an affair with is found dead. It's an alarmingly good performance by Gyllenhaal as a flawed individual who is likable to real people. That's what Batman's Bruce Wayne should be: noticeable enough to turn heads, but not enough to keep them there when he has to dunk in the Batmobile parked out back. And as for the action, Gyllenhaal has proven that he can carry himself there.

When Jake Gyllenhaal was asked to throw a punch on screen, he always made sure to put in the work to make sure it landed. Both "Southpaw" and more recently "Roadhouse" (as the original was serious) featured Gyllenhaal as an absolute unit. Both films required heavy duty work that would be a must when playing Batman, recently shown on the big screen.

When Robert Pattinson first declared himself an Avenger in the Batman trailer, we only believed him because we'd just seen him slap the criminal around like a newly-caught tipper. It's something that definitely looks like Gyllenhaal can do, but there's more to it than that. In all black and pointy ears, Gyllenhaal can really provide an imposing presence, which is what will be needed whenever The Brave and the Bold's Ceded Crusader ends up standing alongside David Korensvet's Man of Steel.

There is no confirmation when exactly the new Superman will share the screen with the Bats of that DCU, but whoever fills the gig needs to fill the screen as much as his superpowered rival. That's the kind of presence Gyllenhaal could definitely have whenever The World's Finest reunites. Most importantly, though, it's an offer the actor has already said he'd take if the call ever came.

While it's all well and good to theorize if Jake Gyllenhaal would make a good Batman, the most important thing to decide is whether he'll actually take the job. Stepping into the boots of one of DC's most beloved heroes comes with a lot of baggage and a legacy that spans decades. In an interview with Screen Rant of "Road House," Gyllenhaal said he has tremendous respect for Batman and everyone who has taken up the mantle over the years.

“Oh, man. It's a classic. It is an honor," he said. "I'm going to play Iago in Othello with Denzel Washington, and I think about the history of actors who have played that role over time, and it scares me. So that's the first level." Still, just like anyone who's taken on the role over the years, Gyllenhaal's fan-bat wasn't shy about the opportunity. "It would always be an honor." Those types of things and those roles are classics."

They certainly are, and there's enough evidence to make sure that when it comes to making a list of potential Batman actors for the DCU, Jake Gyllenhaal should certainly be in the conversation.