Spider-Man: Brand New Day Star Trades Marvel For Batman Next

Published Aug 5, 2026, 11:41 AM EDT Sean is a senior writer for ScreenRant and has been writing about new TV releases since December 2023. He has received multiple advance screenings of popular shows and ideated his own coverage read by hundreds of thousands of readers. Sean is a self-published author of a Western novel. Sean has also written award-winning opinion pieces related to local politics while getting his Bachelor's degree in journalism. A prominent actor from Spider-Man: Brand New Day just got his first big role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he's less than a month away from joining DC in an upcoming Batman movie. The cast of Brand New Day was stacked with great actors, from franchise regulars like Tom Holland and Zendaya to crossover heroes like Jon Bernthal's Punisher and Mark Ruffalo's Hulk. Only one of them, however, is about to star in a Batman movie. There are a few upcoming Batman movies in development for DC right now, including Robert Pattinson and Matt Reeves' The Batman: Part II and the DCU's Clayface, but those projects are still months away. The DCU's Batman, as well, is only set to appear in James Gunn's The Brave and the Bold, which doesn't have an official release window yet. The animated Batman: Knightfall trilogy, however, is set to start later this August. Most of the cast of Batman: Knightfall has already been revealed. Anson Mount (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) is set to voice Bruce Wayne, for example, while John DiMaggio (Futurama, Adventure Time) is set to voice the Joker. Only one member of Knightfall's cast, however, recently starred in Brand New Day: Michael Mando (Better Call Saul), who played Scorpion, aka Mac Gargan. Michael Mando Will Voice Bane In The Upcoming Batman: Knightfall Trilogy Michael Mando is set to voice Bane, the classic Batman villain who supplements his genius intellect with the super-steroid Venom, in the Batman: Knightfall trilogy, with the trilogy's first film set to premiere on August 25. Knightfall is an animated adaptation of the Batman comic arc of the same name from the early 1990s, wherein Bane breaks Batman's back, forcing him to find a replacement in the homicidal Christian assassin Azrael. Bane serves as the central antagonist of the Knightfall comics and animated trilogy, meaning Mando has a massive role for his first DC appearance. In the story arc, Bane destroys Arkham Asylum, freeing all the inmates within, causing absolute chaos in Gotham. After Batman begins putting his old foes away, Bane challenges him to a fight and "breaks the Bat" over his knee in an iconic panel. Azrael then takes Bruce's place as Batman, but his homicidal tendencies ruin Batman's reputation and force Bruce to seek magical means of healing himself. As the trailer for Knightfall: Part 1 has revealed, Mando's Bane voice is almost entirely different from his normal speaking voice. It's much more gravelly and deep, and it seems to be much more logical and calculating than Mando's many previous villains typically are. The animation style of Knightfall, as well, is perfectly suited to showing how intimidating Bane is, especially while under the effects of his Venom. In short, Mando's Bane should be a downright terrifying villain. Does Michael Mando Have A Future With DC? While playing Bane for an entire animated trilogy is great news for Michael Mando, his future with DC remains uncertain. Mando's Bane voice is perfectly tailored to the gargantuan villain, but he's probably not the best choice for a potential live-action adaptation. Given Bane's size and stature, James Gunn and the DCU would probably opt for a different actor if the villain ever does make it to a live-action film or show. Mando probably can't play Bane in live-action, but he would be a great pick for a number of other Batman villains. Mando has made a name for himself over the years by playing villains like Vaas in Far Cry 3, Scorpion in Spider-Man, and Nacho Varga in Better Call Saul. That experience would make him a great pick for a less physically imposing Batman villain, like Black Mask, Scarecrow, or Mister Freeze. Mando may also have a future with DC's animated efforts. DC and Batman in particular have a penchant for reusing beloved voice actors. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, for example, voiced Batman and The Joker for decades. If Mando turns out to be an exceptional Bane voice actor, he could easily reprise the role in other, unconnected animated Batman movies and shows to come. Batman: Knightfall may just be the beginning of Michael Mando's relationship with DC. Release Date June 23, 2026 Runtime 79 minutes Director Jeff Wamester Writers Jeremy Adams Producers Jim Krieg, Kimberly S. Moreau Cast Batman / Bruce Wayne (voice)