The Action Star Fighting To Play Batman
The DCEU era has finally come to an end with the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, so the fan-casting for major roles like Batman, Wonder Woman, and other DC favorites is sure to ramp up soon. And there’s one name that’s being bandied about who has already played two DC characters in the past – Alan Ritchson. Ritchson himself has said that he would be willing to play Batman in the DCU, and he already has the superhero chops after playing Arthur Curry/Aquaman in Smallville and Hawk in the Max original series Titans.
Even noted comic-book expert and aficionado Kevin Smith endorses Alan Ritchson as Batman for the DCU. In a recent episode of his Fat Man Beyond podcast, Smith talked about how much he loves Ritchson’s Prime Video show Reacher and how it makes him rethink his relationship with Batman, joking, “I keep saying out loud as I’m watching it — this f—ing guy makes Batman seem kind of silly,” adding, “I remember watching Reacher season one and then going to see The Batman, and for the first time in my life, it was like, ‘Why would you wear a mask like that?”
Smith also talked about hearing how Ritchson was interested in playing the Bat, saying, “That makes my life perfect, because then I can go from Reacher to Batman, and I can be like, I believe them both because of the actor.”
Kevin Smith is absolutely right about Alan Ritchson in Reacher. Ritchson has more than proven his action chops in the show, and the fact that he’s already played DC heroes in the past makes him even more perfect for the role. Plus, you always have to make sure Batman has a good chin to fit the mask, and Ritchson has that covered as well.
If Alan Ritchson does end up nabbing the role of Batman, we would likely see him for the first time in the planned DCU film The Brave and the Bold, which will explore the father and son dynamics of Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian Wayne. Damian Wayne takes on the mantle of Robin and fights alongside his father, and James Gunn has described him as “a little son of a bi**h,” so it seems like there will definitely be some comedic elements to the film as the two butt heads. Comedy is right up Ritchson’s alley, too, as evidenced by Blue Mountain State.
Alan Ritchson as Batman makes sense in a lot of ways, but, of course, he’s not the only fan cast out in the ether right now. Fans also have thrown out Jensen Ackles, who has experience voicing Bats in various DC animated projects, along with playing a superpowered individual in The Boys. Of course, James Gunn and Peter Safran are likely going to keep this bit of casting under wraps for quite a while, so we won’t know until they’re ready for us to know.
Although Alan Ritchson would be a great choice to play Batman, there are plenty of other actors out there who would also be a great fit for the role. In the meantime, you can check out Ritchson’s performance in Reacher, which is streaming on Prime Video. Stay tuned for more DCU casting news.
Source: Comicbook.com
