Not Just Batman: Brandon Sklenar’s Iconic ‘1923’ Role Has Fans Imagining Him in Live-action Remake of an Iconic Video Game
- Fans believe Brandon Sklenar would fit in as Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2 for it's live-action
- Brandon Sklenar becomes the breakout star of 1923 Season 2
- The actor addressed his body transformation for Season 2 of 1923
Created by Taylor Sheridan, 1923 is a Western drama starring Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, Brandon Sklenar, and others. The prequel to Yellowstone and sequel to 1883, the series is currently airing its second season. Sheridan pitched the story to Paramount Studios to establish and retrace the Dutton family lineage with a backdrop of a time of great drought and Prohibition, at a time when the Wild West truly became a relevant center of resources.
Upon release, the series received the same amount of love and appreciation as Yellowstone. Critics praised Ford and Mirren’s performance on the show, which has been regarded as a solid addition to Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe. Brandon Sklenar’s work has also been appreciated and the audience now believes that the actor could be a fitting choice to play a video-game character on-screen.
Fans pitch 1923 star Brandon Sklenar for the live-action adaptation of Red Dead Redemption 2
Actor Brandon Sklenar portrays Spencer Dutton in Taylor Sheridan’s 1923 and has been lauded for his work on the show. Back in 2023, during an interview with Awards Radar, the actor shared that when he first read the script for 1923, before testing for the role, he could feel in the words that there was something different about Dutton’s soul, energy, and way of talking.
The actor said that he could feel how Dutton men moved throughout the world and how they handled conflict and themselves. He mentioned that his character has been through tremendous trauma from the age of six onward in the war, and then there is the big game hunting and alcoholism. Sklenar noted that Spencer Dutton had a lot of stuff to layer.
It Ends With Us star also shared at the time that he had been a fan of Sheridan’s 1883, and believed that the series was ‘damn near perfect.’ Before joining the Sheridans’ Yellowstone universe, Sklenar added that he knew that he was going into a world with a large loyal fan base, and he is just grateful for the show.
The audience has had an overwhelming response to not only the show but also Brandon Sklenar’s work as Spencer Dutton. Critics have praised him for his work, and now fans believe, the actor can portray one famous video game character in its live-action adaptation.
A Reddit user shared online that after his [Sklenar] performance as Spencer Dutton, they fully believe that the actor would be a great live-action Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2. Someone noted that he could be a great Batman, too. A user noted,
If there’s ever going to be a Red Dead Redemption movie, I want Brandon Sklenar to play Arthur Morgan.
The actor has also expressed his desire to play Batman if given an opportunity in the future. Fans agree, but have mentioned that he’d be a perfect fit for the role of Arthur Morgan.
Brandon Sklenar talks about Spencer Dutton’s transformation in 1923 Season 2
Season 2 premiered on February 23, 2025, and the response to the show has been positive till now. A lot of fans believe that Brandon Sklenar’s Spencer Dutton outshines every character on the show, which also stars Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.
In speaking to The Wrap, Sklenar addressed that he was 31 when he filmed Season 1, and he turned 34 when they started filming Season 2. He shared that he grew a lot as an actor and as a person, and he felt it started showing up, just more confident. Talking about his character’s journey to his family, the actor said,
There are many scenes in this season in particular that are just epic. You really get to see Spencer open up a lot, and he opens up physically and becomes a physical force and a dangerous man. Then also, at the same time, his heart opens, and he expresses himself in ways that he has not done ever before.
Brandon Sklenar’s character has been witnessed to have undergone a physical transformation, about which the actor said he informed Sheridan about his change of body, which the creator was cool about. The actor said,
I wanted to feel like an animal, and I wanted to feel scary, and I wanted to look intimidating. It kind of works; I’ve been shoveling coal for four months. I mean, I don’t know if that would put on 20 pounds, but I wanted him to have a presence.
Upon asking if he’d return for Season 3 if it happens, Sklenar said Spencer Dutton is the best character, and he loves him so much. There is very little separation between him and his character at this point. Without saying yes, Sklenar replied to the question that he’d be happy to return.
1923 is streaming on Paramount.
