Alan Ritchson Teases Major DCU Move After Batman Plea
Reacher star Alan Ritchson isn't done with DC just yet.
Alan Ritchson is still angling for a spot in James Gunn's DCU, but it might not be the one he chased for years. The Reacher star has been open about his Batman ambitions; now he is hinting the door could be opening somewhere else.
"I would definitely want to explore some new horizons, and I think I have a feeling we may. We'll see."
That little tease came during an Instagram chat with movie influencer Liam Saul (LiamLovesMovies). If you've followed this saga, you know Ritchson has practically campaigned in public to pull on the cowl, even joking he would do it for free. Gunn, for his part, previously told Collider he hadn't started casting the DCU's Chapter One Batman movie, The Brave and the Bold, but made it clear he likes Ritchson as both an actor and a person. Translation: supportive, not a confirmation.
So... Batman or not?
By August 2025, Ritchson sounded like he'd made peace with the idea that he won't be the DCU's Bat. He told Variety that there have been conversations about the role, but he doesn't think Batman is happening for him. He still expects to end up in the DCU somehow, just not as Gotham's night shift.
Fans are already fantasy-casting him
This is where it gets a little inside baseball: the minute a well-liked actor hints at a DC gig, the internet builds a lineup card.
- Wildcat: floated by Saul during that Instagram chat.
- Orion: some fans want him as Darkseid's volatile son.
- Bane: others point out the obvious — the guy is massive — and argue he's built for the role.
Worth noting: he's been a DC hero before
Ritchson played Arthur Curry/Aquaman on Smallville back in the 2000s. Asked if he'd ever suit up as Aquaman again, he shut that down out of respect for Jason Momoa's take. When someone pointed out Momoa is now playing Lobo in the DCU, Ritchson acknowledged the irony but didn't bite on the Aquaman idea.
Bottom line: Gunn hasn't revealed Batman casting for The Brave and the Bold, and Ritchson now sounds like he's looking elsewhere in the DCU. If his instincts are right, something is brewing — just not the bat-shaped thing he once chased. We'll see where he lands.