Alan Ritchson has quickly become one of Hollywood’s most in-demand action stars, and his name has been at the center of DC fan conversations for months. Ever since James Gunn and Peter Safran announced ‘The Brave and the Bold’ as part of the DCU’s “Gods and Monsters” Chapter 1 slate, the internet has been buzzing with fan casts for who might step into the cape and cowl of Batman.
And one name that comes up again and again is ‘Reacher’ star Alan Ritchson. Now, Ritchson himself is teasing the possibility of joining Gunn’s DC Universe.
Alan Ritchson On Batman, Aquaman, And Wildcat
In a new interview with LiamLovesMovies, the actor opened up about what kind of character he might like to play, making it clear that while Batman might not be in his future, he’s definitely not closing the door on DC. Ritchson has already dipped his toes in the DC waters once before. Long before his breakout role as Jack Reacher, he played a young Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman, in ‘Smallville’.
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However, when asked if he’d like to return to Aquaman in Gunn’s DCU, Ritchson made it clear that’s not where his interests lie. “No, I would never take that from Jason Momoa,” he explained, making it clear that he has nothing but respect for the current Aquaman actor. “I would definitely want to explore new horizons, and I have a feeling we may. We’ll see.” That last sentence is where things get interesting.
“I have a feeling we may” sounds a lot like someone who has already had at least a preliminary conversation with DC Studios. Ritchson also confirmed he’s spoken with Gunn, and yes, Batman was a topic. However, rather than double down on the Batman rumors, Ritchson seemed more interested in something new. When Saul suggested Wildcat, Ritchson lit up. “Okay, yeah, I do! That could be fun!” he said with a grin when asked if he knew who the character was.
James Gunn Responds To The Batman Speculation
Of course, the Batman rumors aren’t going anywhere. Ever since ‘The Brave and the Bold’ was announced, Gunn has been hounded about casting questions. Who will play Bruce Wayne in this new era of the DC Universe? When pressed, Gunn usually shoots down names quickly. However, when Alan Ritchson’s name came up in a recent interview with Josh Horowitz, his response was… different.
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“I am a big Alan Ritchson fan, both as an actor and a guy,” Gunn admitted. He paused before adding, “I… just wait and see what happens.” That hesitation spoke volumes. Normally, Gunn is quick to clarify that rumors are baseless or that casting decisions haven’t been made. This time, however, he left the door wide open. Horowitz pressed him further, asking about the tone of the new Batman.
Gunn explained, “It’s dictated by the material and the take. Actors, you know, actors aren’t important. Do I ever think about it? Sure, there are people out there I think about, but let’s see where the script comes in. It’s not the furthest along thing. We have things that are much further along than that.” It’s classic Gunn, keeping the focus on the story rather than the casting. Still, his careful wording about Ritchson suggests the actor’s name is at least on the shortlist.
