The MCU Could've Looked Entirely Different: Why Did The Reacher Star Fail His Audition?

Summary

• One of the most important Marvel superheroes could have been played by Alan Ritchson.
• The actor blames himself for failing his audition.
• Ritchson went on to have a successful career after his Marvel audition.

Despite Marvel's recent failures, the studio is still largely recognized for the many fan-favorite films such as Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and The Avengers that it has created over the years. Of course, given the underperformance of its latest releases, many fans wish the studio had taken a different path. But apparently, the MCU could have been different from the start.

Although the MCU is now vast and boasts many superheroes who are all somehow united in the same cinematic universe, when it began there were only a few characters who helped build the world around them. Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man was the one who kicked off the MCU. Then came The Incredible Hulk, portrayed by Edward Norton, who never reprised the role. And the third superhero to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was Chris Hemsworth's Thor. But he wasn't the only actor considered for the role.

A Different Lead

Alan Ritchson, who has made a name for himself in the DC Universe playing Aquaman on The CW's Smallville and Hawk on HBO's Titans, also tested for Thor. But the actor didn't get the part for one simple reason.

'I didn't take it seriously,' Alan Ritchson shared in a recent interview. 'I was like, "They'll throw me the part if I look like the guy; nobody really cares about acting."'

And definitely, Ritchson always had the physique to play a superhero, but perhaps he was too complacent about his abilities and failed to impress the casting department, who came back to his team saying that the actor lacked 'the craft.' And the role of Thor went to Chris Hemsworth, who has become an integral part of the MCU thanks to his lighthearted yet charismatic portrayal of the character.

Alan Ritchson's Career after the Thor Audition

Unfortunately, Alan Ritchson didn't make it into the MCU, but he has made forays into other popular franchises over the years. The actor has appeared as Gloss in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and as Agent Aimes in Fast X.

On the television front, Ritchson has made guest appearances on Black Mirror and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as well as a number of shows within DC's Arrowverse. Most notably, the actor has starred in Amazon Prime Video's action crime drama Reacher since its premiere in 2022.

The show, which has a decent 8.1 IMDb score, has spanned two seasons so far, with the most recent wrapping up in January. Season 3 is currently being filmed, which means that Alan Ritchson will be returning to the small screen in the near future.

Source: Men's Health.