A Better Call Saul Actor Is Playing Key Spider-Man And Batman Villains In The Same Year – SlashFilm

Actor Michael Mando, known for his role as the in-over-his-head gangster Nacho Varga in “Better Call Saul,” is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe this summer. In 2017, he appeared in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” as the criminal Mac Gargan, who Spider-Man fans recognized was future super-villain the Scorpion. Despite a “Homecoming” post-credits scene teasing Gargan’s return, he wound up usurped by Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) in sequel “Spider-Man: Far from Home” and a multiverse full of Spidey villains in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

But the trailers for the upcoming fourth film “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” show Gargan is back and suited up as Scorpion. It’s not clear how big a role he’ll play, since other villains (from Tombstone to Tarantula) are in the movie, as are more heroic guest stars like the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and the Punisher (Jon Bernthal). But Mando will get to be the Scorpion at least once… and he’s pulling double super-villain duty in 2026.

The first trailer for the animated film “Batman: Knightfall” (part 1 of a trilogy) dropped on June Tuesday, June 23. As confirmed by IGN, Mando will be voicing Bane in the film, alongside Anson Mount (“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds”) as Batman. (Mount previously voiced Batman in the 2021 animated film “Injustice.”) Mando also announced his part in “Knightfall,” and his excitement at playing Bane, on Twitter:

“Let chaos reign in Gotham” #Bane The kid in me rn : 🤓😬 #BatmanKnightfall https://t.co/49zvUQ4ejO pic.twitter.com/X8vdhtxdWE

— Michael Mando (@MandoMichael) June 23, 2026

“Knightfall” is a massive story that ran for over a year across different Batman comics from 1993 to 1994. It was Bane’s first appearance (specifically the one-shot issue “Vengeance of Bane” by Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan) and he defeated Batman like no villain previously had. If Bane wanted to, he could’ve killed Batman, but he arrogantly decided to only break the Bat instead, and the paralyzed Bruce Wayne had to temporarily retire.

Bane is a Latino character; he comes from the fictional Central American country Santa Prisca. The son of a criminal, he was sentenced to serve punishment for his father’s crimes in the brutal prison Peña Duro. Bane, the only name the boy ever knew, had to train his body and mind to survive. Bane is a self-made übermensch like Bruce Wayne, but raised in hell instead of a stately manor.

Despite his role as a Mexican American on “Better Call Saul,” Michael Mando is actually not Latino. Born in Quebec, his parents are both African, and he spent portions of his childhood in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Whether a voice actor must match their character’s exact ethnicity is a controversial subject, but at least Mando as Bane is not outright whitewashing like, say, Tom Hardy’s Bane from “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Mando’s performance as Bane is sure to be excellent, too. Look at his breakout role in the survival thriller video game “Far Cry 3,” as crazed, charismatic, and talkative mercenary leader Vaas Montenegro. Bane is no wordless bruiser, he’s intelligent. As the “Knightfall” trailer alludes to, he first stages a mass breakout at Arkham Asylum. Once Batman is weakened from fighting other super-villains, only then does Bane strike.

Bane experienced a resurgence last year thanks to “Abomination,” an arc in “Absolute Batman” featuring the most terrifying Bane ever depicted since “Knightfall.” Capitalizing on the Bane-mentum with an animated “Knightfall” makes sense. DC Studios is also planning a live-action movie starring Bane and Deathstroke, so DC shouldn’t lose Michael Mando’s number.

Part 1 of the “Batman: Knightfall” trilogy is scheduled for release later in 2026.