Batman Was Played by an MCU Stunt Performer in Viral State Farm Ad

Leave it to a TV commercial to give DC fans the most comic-accurate version of Batman and his rogues gallery of all time. State Farm’s “Batman vs. Bateman” spot saw Jason Bateman play a second-rate knock-off of The Dark Knight, while the real Batman patrolled Gotham City cleaning up after him. The ad also included The Joker, The Riddler, Catwoman, and Two-Face, among many others, giving them more comic-accurate designs than most past DC movies. While Bateman didn’t hide behind the cowl when “fighting” crime in Gotham, the real Batman remained a mystery… until now.

State Farm’s Batman actor was revealed by makeup artist, Eliza Mollie Till, who shared some behind-the-scenes shots on Instagram. Sharing her work on the viral advertisement, Till confirmed that this version of Batman was played by Nicholas Hayner. While you might not recognize his name, you’ve definitely seen Hayner’s work on the big screen. Hayner is a stunt performer who has worked on MCU projects like Captain America: Civil War, as well as shows like The Walking Dead and the Divergent and Hunger Games film franchises.

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“A mighty production to work on & I’m beyond grateful I got to be involved,” wrote Till in the post. She then listed the team behind the advert, before closing off the post by name-dropping Hayner as State Farm’s Caped Crusader. The commercial compared Bateman, who represented other insurance companies, with Batman, who acted as State Farm Insurance, as they fought various criminals in Gotham City. The video also included various online personalities, including Kai Cenat and Jordan Howlett, with SZA acting as State Farm’s Selina Kyle.

When Will Batman Appear in the DCU?

The new State Farm advertisement is satiating fans’ appetites until Batman returns to the big screen. The Dark Knight last appeared in Matt Reeves’ The Batman in 2022. A sequel, appropriately titled The Batman Part II, is in the works. But the film’s release date was recently pushed back to 2027, meaning it will be a few years until Robert Pattinson returns as Bruce Wayne on our screens.

In the meantime, James Gunn is gearing up to release Superman, the first feature film in the rebooted DCU. The movie’s success will lay the foundations for the rest of the DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters slate, which includes the debut of The Dark Knight. The DCU’s first Batman movie, The Brave and the Bold, is taking a big swing by introducing Bruce Wayne’s son, Damian Wayne, as Robin. This will mark the live-action debut of the fan-favorite character, first introduced in 2006. Damian takes on Jason Todd’s (the second Robin) antihero morality and pushes it even further. He was raised by the League of Shadows to be a ruthless assassin, causing Batman to have to help him suppress his more violent tendencies.

The Brave and the Bold is confirmed to be in development at DC Studios. However, the movie’s creative team has yet to be revealed, besides Andy Muschietti (The Flash), who is currently attached as the director. Expect a release date to be revealed once the film’s crew has been finalized. Only then will we learn who will be the DCU’s Batman.

Source: Instagram