Was Jake Gyllenhaal Almost Batman? The Dark Knight Casting Reports Explained

While Christian Bale undoubtedly left his stamp on the World’s Greatest Detective in the «Dark Knight» trilogy, it’s not difficult to imagine Jake Gyllenhaal in the role. Like Christian Bale, who had his breakout as Patrick Bateman in «American Psycho,» Gyllenhaal got noticed in Hollywood after his role as the troubled titular character in «Donnie Darko.»

Being that the actor has had no shortage of darker roles since then, in movies like «Nightcrawler,» «Zodiac,» «Enemy,» and «Nocturnal Animals,» it’s clear that Gyllenhaal is capable of the intimidation and intensity that is so pivotal to playing a character like Batman. Even more interesting to consider is that Gyllenhaal ended up in another 2005 movie, «Brokeback Mountain,» with Heath Ledger, likely as a side effect of not being cast in «Batman Begins.»

Considering the irresistible screen chemistry that Ledger and Gyllenhaal displayed in «Brokeback Mountain,» it would have been an intriguing combination to see the two totally at odds in «The Dark Knight» (assuming Ledger was still cast as the Joker). Though we’ll never know what Christoper Nolan’s «Batman» series would have looked like with Gyllenhaal filling in for Bale, the notion is filled with endless possibilities for fans to imagine.