The dust has barely settled on the news that not only is The Batman moving ahead nicely, but DC Films will also be adding a standalone Nightwing movie to the DCEU… and things keep getting more interesting. With a director having recently proven to make a hit with the Batman family - and Dick Grayson in particular - with The LEGO Batman Movie at the helm, the hope of seeing some levity in Batman’s world sprang anew (just as Dick managed in the DC Comics). But for the excitement to reach its highest heights, fans need to know who will be playing the part.

We, like so many others have offered up a list spanning a wide variety of strengths and styles, adding to the online conversations placing each fan’s dream actor in the coveted role. As it happens, one actor who had previously claimed the most wins among fancasts (ours included) may be giving fans reason to hold out hope. At least as far as he’s concerned, it’s a role Jared Padalecki (Supernatural) still wants to tackle.

It’s not the first time that the question of Dick Grayson/Nightwing was posed to the stalwart star of The CW’s Supernatural, as both he and co-star Jensen Ackles have been perennial mentions in superhero fancasts. In fact, back when rumors were swirling of actor Steven R. McQueen pursuing the part for Arrow, we suggested Warner Bros. could pass he and Padalecki off as the same character… a decade or so apart. But as Ben Affleck’s casting pushed the normally ‘fresh-faced playboy’ role farther ahead in his life, so too did the age of his first pupil rise.

Screen Rant’s own Daniel Falconer reached out to Padalecki via Twitter to see if there was still a chance he would make fans’ dreams come true, and his response is just the right kind of tantalizing:

@DanielJFalconer I’ve always wanted to…— Jared Padalecki (@jarpad) February 24, 2017

It’s not a case of an actor openly and enthusiastically petitioning a studio for a superhero role (a strategy that hasn’t proven very fruitful so far), but it’s a reassurance that carries some weight. Especially since Jared Padalecki is, essentially, as close to a live action version of most Nightwing portrayals as you can get. Other actors have already been mentioned by fans - including some impressive fan art of Dev Patel - but at this point, the Padalecki camp knowing he still falls under the ‘wants to play’ category is a fresh wind in their sails.

He would be able to make his mark with Affleck in all the ways needed, to. At age 34, the gap between Dick and Bruce would be just over a decade (since Affleck’s Wayne seems aged up, if anything, on film). And at a similar height and a fairly famous physique among The CW crowd, nobody will fear Padalecki can’t play the role of a costumed superhero.

For the ones asking @jarpad as #Nightwing I made that one around 2 years go now :) #NightwingMovie pic.twitter.com/9kThJhGwa2— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) February 25, 2017

What do you think of Padalecki in the part? Does he seem like the kind of proven, lighthearted, and physical force needed to drive Dick Grayson’s own solo movie series?

Source: Jared Padalecki