Welp, it looks like we’ll all be sending sternly worded letters to a certain group of movie studio execs this year — Warner Bros. told Milo Ventimiglia he’s “too old” to play Batman, and we have thoughts. Many, many thoughts. The This Is Us star shared the slight during Variety and iHeart’s The Big Ticket podcast on Friday, insisting he’s “okay” in the wake of the letdown. But, still.
While we’re used to seeing Ventimiglia in circa ’70 garb for his role as Jack Pearson on This Is Us, the actor admitted on the podcast that he would love to suit up as a superhero. “Do I see myself in a cape and cowl?” Ventimiglia asked when talk turned to the blockbuster superhero franchises having such a banner year. According to Ventimiglia, his answer was yes — he could definitely see himself playing a vigilante for justice, and specifically the rebooted role of Batman. Unfortunately, at least one movie studio didn’t agree, and we now all know who. “Warner Brothers didn’t. They said, ‘Ventimiglia, you’re too old,’” he recounted, laughing off the notion of any hard feelings. “It’s okay. It doesn’t matter. By the way, I’m kind of busy.”
Yeah, you tell ‘em, Ventimiglia!
As it stands, 42-year-old Ventimiglia isn’t that much older than 33-year-old Robert Pattinson, who was ultimately cast in the caped crusader role. But if we had to offer a word of defense in Warner Bros. favor, we might tender that perhaps they were saying Ventimiglia is older than the character they are casting in this Batman movie. Intel about the film so far suggests it will focus on a younger Batman, so technically Pattinson fits the bill (or fits the batsuit, as it were).
Ventimiglia isn’t exaggerating about his packed schedule, either. The seasoned star has a few big projects in the works. On Aug. 9, his new movie The Art of Racing in the Rain hits theaters, meaning he’s currently making the press rounds for the film. In September, This Is Us returns for its fourth season, and Ventimiglia will undoubtedly be filming subsequent seasons in the near future. Then, come September 22, he’ll be kicking off awards show season at the Emmys — he picked up another nod for playing Papa Pearson.
Plus, as he explained during the podcast, he prefers playing real-life role models, saying, “They’re real, attainable superheroes, that are out there in the open representing good guys and good fathers.”
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