Alan Ritchson has openly stated he’d like to play Batman, and if his towering frame in Reacher is a resume to play the Caped Crusader, I’d say he’s perfect for the job. It seems like James Gunn might agree, especially after a cagey response from the actor when he was asked whether he’d play the DC hero.
Ritchson was a guest on Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz, in which the host brought up that Gunn is a big fan of the action star. Ritchson acknowledged the question and followed up with this:
James Gunn and I have spoken a lot.
Ok, then. For some reason, Alan Ritchson and James Gunn are speaking a lot. That feels like a big deal, especially since he’s busy making Superman: Man of Tomorrow and overseeing other DC projects. Why exactly would he be making a good deal of time for Ritchson unless he was tied to that in some way?
It’s a question Horowitz was understandably also curious about. He wanted to know if this was a confirmation that Ritchson is in conversations to play the DCU Batman, who is separate from Robert Pattinson‘s Batman. Or, he could be playing an entirely different character in the DC universe. All the actor could say was this:
There’s so much to unpack here that you don’t even know. You don’t know what you’re asking for.
If Alan Ritchson thought that was going to end the questions, he was wrong. Of course, people want any details about what he might be doing in the DCU, if anything.
Readers know by now that NDAs signed by actors and actresses associated with any upcoming superhero movie are pretty iron-clad. So there was no way this line of questioning was ever going to end with Ritchson detailing what these conversations were about and who he would be playing. What he did say, however, was this:
I really respect James. I would like to do something with James. James would like to do something with me. But my litmus test for what I will take is strict. Anything I do with DC will still meet my standards. I hope that we work on something that feels like we’re all making this movie that I would be proud of.
I think that’s a smart response. The DCU, after all, is coming off a disappointing showing for Supergirl, but Superman was well-received. I think there’s an understandable amount of caution being taken by Ritchson, and wanting to ensure he’s not rushing too quickly into something that doesn’t feel right.
Based on this final bit, however, it sounds like whatever is being discussed, the Reacher star feels good about it. Here’s how he characterized the situation, and I would note the adjective he used for the future:
So, there could be a bright future for us, and there have been a lot of conversations.
Ok, so, Alan Ritchson as Batman is confirmed? Of course, Josh Horowitz had to give one more try to get the actor to fess up. This final attempt sent me as, Ritchson continued to tease the host and audience with his responses:
- Josh: Do you have a character in mind that you’re not going to tell me today?
- Alan: Yes.
- Josh: And it’s not Batman?
- Alan: Look, the future is bright, and the horizons are broad, and anything is possible for any of us. You know?
I guess, in light of the recent news that The Batman: Part II was delayed yet again, this is something positive to look forward to. I do worry about how Warner Bros. Discovery may feel about having two cinematic Batmans operating in movies at the same time, as the company heads historically frowned on that and prevented certain characters from being used in The CW’s Arrowverse when they were a part of the DCEU. I would love to see Ritchson as Batman, but not sure I want to see less of Pattinson’s Batman as a trade-off.
Of course, we don’t actually know what Ritchson could do in the DCU, and won’t until he and James Gunn are ready to announce it. Here’s hoping we get some news eventually, and this isn’t a whole lot of teases and excitement over nothing.