Alan Ritchson has been in seemingly just as many conversations about Batman as some of the actors that have played the DC vigilante, with fans rallying for James Gunn to cast him as the DCU’s Dark Knight. There’s a time when that maybe could have happened, but Ritchson’s latest comments poured water on the Bat-rumors, in light of a potentially different path forward with DC Studios.
While promoting the fourth season of Reacher at San Diego Comic-Con, Ritchson formally addressed his current DC situation before thousands of people, as seen in our post below.
For those unable to watch the video, here's how he clarified things (while still technically keeping the Batcave door open):
I feel like I have to address this, because it comes up all the time. I don’t ever want to lead someone on to feel like… I’ve had a lot of conversations with DC about what to do, because we would like to work together. I mean, never say never. Maybe Batman is in the future, but I don’t think it is, because we’re having conversations about another character. So I just don’t think Batman is in the cards for me, as much as I would love to do it.
In the days ahead of SDCC, Ritchson confirmed that he and James Gunn have been talking, which is likely part of the reason why he took the time to address it on stage, but didn’t tip his cowl towards any of the other characters who might be up for contention, or even if he’d be more interesting in joining an upcoming DCU movie or something on the studio’s TV side. But that’s okay, because fans have puh-lenty of ideas for characters that the Motor City star should embody in live-action.
DC Characters That Fans Want To See Alan Ritchson Play
- Hawkman, Captain Atom, or Wildcat would all be great roles for Alan. - @brettofbakerstreet
- I’m hoping for the New God Orion😍 - @wondervaughn_1
- He’d be the best Shazam. Man on the outside, big kid on the inside! - @zxanajae
- Bane for sure - @klarcjwilson
- Booster Gold! Bet me! 🙌 - @firechkn00
- Aquaman please - @sincerelyyoursvic
- Green Arrow. - @levelupboxing
- The other character is…Bruce Wayne. - @lorcanaman
- Buff joker incoming??? - @ryzmechaa
- He would be a great “Azrael” - @kingfaouaz
I mean, hand to Detective Comics #27, I'd welcome Ritchson in literally any one of the roles mentioned above. Though Green Arrow would probably be my bottom choice, if only because Oliver Queen isn't always meant to be a brickhouse of a human being.
The most likely, perhaps, would be Wildcat, in that Ritchson would be able to spotlight his muscles and fisticuffs without an abundance of CGI and green-screenery. (I assume, anyway.) And the actor hasn't dismissed potentially playing Wildcat the way he has with other roles.
Personally, I'd love to see him in the role of Azrael, but that would require the DCU getting to a point where adding the religion-fueled behemoth to the narrative makes sense, and we're certainly not there yet without a Batman.
Booster Gold would be the best character for Ritchson to get to play up his comedic charms as one of the more ego-driven and oblivious DC superheroes. It'd also be great to see this completely modern looking dude zipping through time streams and showing up at different points in history.
To be sure, almost every one of the heroes and villains mentioned above was suggested by a variety of commenters. (Okay, maybe Buff Joker was just a one-off.) So there are more than enough people hoping for each potential outcome. But then of course there are those who still want the Reacher actor to play the Caped Crusader, even if it isn't the one we've all grown up with.
- I think he’s the only man that can play Absolute Batman rn - @xiamcellx
- Ok not Batman… buuuut…. Maybe the voice of Absolute Batman👀 I can see it, he has the voice - @aye_itzjordan_
- He can definitely be Absolute Batman 🙏 - @raafiqirtaza
- Absolute Batman is the only thing that fits!!! - @datoneguyplayscards
At this point, the wildly popular Absolute Batman comic series is being adapted into an animated series, so the actor would only be able to lend his voice to the role in that capacity, rather than in live-action where his build could be utilized. But then, Bruce Wayne is still in his 20s in that timeline, which essentially rules Ritchson out, especially if there aren't even plans to make a live-action version anytime soon.
Though it's still too early to know if we'll see Alan Ritchson showing up in the DCU in any upcoming 2027 movies, I'm fairly confident James Gunn will figure out a way to get him on the big screen with the quickness. (And no, that's not a winking nod suggesting he should be The Flash, although it would be scary as all hell to see that dude running at you at full speed.)
