New DC/Marvel crossover fan art sees Marvel Cinematic Universe star Robert Downey Jr. become the DC Universe‘s Batman while Ben Affleck replaces him as Iron Man. The MCU has come a long way since its start in 2008, while the DC Universe is on the brink of a new beginning. Currently, the MCU is in the midst of Phase 5, telling The Multiverse Saga, while the DCEU is set to end with The Flash movie, which will serve as a reboot for a new DC Universe.
From all the major superhero castings that have happened over the last two decades, the DCEU and MCU could have looked quite different if certain actors hadn’t been tapped for their roles. Pablo Ruiz, a talented artist on Instagram, recently released new fan art imagining a world where Downey Jr. and Affleck swap places as Iron Man and Batman, respectively.
For Affleck, playing Iron Man would have been his second Marvel character, as he portrayed Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil, in the 2003 film before the MCU introduced the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen with Charlie Cox. While Downey Jr. has yet to be cast in a DC role, the MCU veteran garnered some major buzz to play Lex Luthor after he sported his shaved head in 2022.
Will More MCU Actors Be Joining James Gunn’s DC Universe?
With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 released in theaters, James Gunn has properly finished his time with Marvel Studios and is now focusing entirely on building the new DC Universe. But as Gunn is exiting the MCU, the question that remains is whether or not more actors from the franchise will be coming over to DC Studios’ many shows and films that are in the works. Even before Gunn was appointed co-CEO of DC Studios, he had already tapped numerous actors that he had worked with on the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.
Following the reveal of the official Creature Commandos cast, Gunn has already begun to utilize some MCU stars for the DC Universe. Gunn has even confirmed that there are some Marvel actors in Superman: Legacy, which is the current project he is working on, set to start filming in 2024. While Gunn hasn’t revealed any additional MCU actors for the time being, there are clearly more stars coming over, with many having even expressed interest in joining the DC Universe. There are also probably actors from the MCU that may already be signed on for the DC Universe that haven’t been announced yet.
Given the range of actors that Gunn has worked with during his time in the MCU, it will be exciting to see who else he is tapping to appear in his DC Universe films and series. It’s also worth remembering that since they have only revealed half of Chapter 1, “Gods and Monsters,” there are other projects that are waiting to be revealed that will potentially feature some beloved MCU faces. Hopefully, with big events like San Diego Comic-Con coming up this summer, more Marvel Cinematic Universe stars will be announced for Gunn’s DC Universe franchise.
Source: Pablo Ruiz/Instagram