Will Arnett Says He Would Love to Return to Batman Role

A former Batman star has triggered the Bat-Signal to summon interested filmmakers to give him a call about reprising his role. Will Arnett famously voiced the Dark Knight in The LEGO Movie, The LEGO Batman Movie, and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, becoming a beloved iteration of the DC vigilante, but it seems he isn’t ready to put down the cape and cowl just yet, as he recently expressed a desire to return to his superhero persona – if the opportunity for him to suit up (and step into the recording booth) ever arises.

Arnett reflected on playing the LEGO version of Batman with fond memories, telling Variety that it was “a really fun time” in his life and that he would love to collaborate with filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller again to bring the character back. At one point, a sequel to The LEGO Batman Movie was in development, but it was ultimately canceled after the rights to produce the LEGO films shifted from Warner Bros. to Universal Pictures. However, if there was a way to figure out a follow-up, Arnett wants to make it clear that he would be up for it:

“I’d love to do more LEGO Batman. I love Lord and Miller. Those guys are the best. That was a really fun time in my life, making those movies — The LEGOo Movie and LEGO Batman — with those guys and Chris McKay. I had some of my bigger laughs with those dudes as we were trying to discover the character. I’ve talked about it before over the years, but we had a laugh one time in the booth when we were reading this line and coming up with these bits where Chris Miller ended up having to leave the room, and Phil was on his knees. We were freaking dying.”

Demand for legacy Batman actors to return to the screen has been high in recent years, especially as James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DCU got underway. Michael Keaton is often cited as a fan-favorite to return (despite having already had a comeback in The Flash), while Arnett’s name isn’t mentioned quite as frequently – perhaps because he plays an animated version of the character, and it is live-action projects that are often in discussion – however, he is still highly regarded for his unique take on the character, particularly the comedic gravitas he brought to the role, which set him apart from some of the other iterations.

What’s Next for Batman?

Robert Pattinson as the Dark Knight in The Batman

Warner Bros. Pictures

Next up for Batman is The Batman – Part II, the long-awaited sequel to Matt Reeves’ 2022 feature, starring Robert Pattinson in the titular role. The follow-up film was originally supposed to arrive in October of this year before being pushed back to October 2026, then shifted again by another 12 months to October 2027. Production is now slated to begin in spring 2026, following the completion of the script earlier this year. The project exists outside of Gunn’s main DC Universe continuity, but it doesn’t mean Batman hasn’t found a place in the Chapter One: Gods and Monsters line-up (aka the foundational chapter of the rebooted DCU).

Batman will have a separate iteration in the DCU, titled Batman: The Brave and the Bold, with a different actor playing the brooding hero. The film, directed by Andy Muschietti, will be based on Grant Morrison’s popular comic series run in which Bruce Wayne joins forces with his biological son Damian, who, together, embark on a journey to fight crime as Damian becomes the new Robin. Gunn has yet to announce the cast for the project and there is no official release date for the movie, but it’s expected to arrive in 2028 or 2029.