Alan Ritchson loves playing Reacher, but does he want to be Batman in the DCU? Here’s who he actually wants to play

Alan Ritchson continues to be one of the popular fan-favorite actors. For the past year, Ritchson's name has popped up as one of the popular fan casting for the DCU version of Batman. For the uninitiated, the DCU version of Gotham's protector is different than Robert Pattinson's version, billed as an "Elseworld" variant, meaning the events in 2022's The Batman and The Penguin are disconnected from James Gunn and Peter Safran's DCU.

Ritchson sat down for an interview with ScreenRant this week to promote the movie Playdate, which is scheduled to stream on Prime Video. The Reacher actor revealed that he is currently talking with DC Studios to play a role. But it must be noted that Alan Ritchson did not say that he was talking with them about playing Batman.

What did Reacher's Alan Ritchson say about joining the DCU?

ScreenRant reporter Liam Crowley asked Ritchson the obvious question that has been asked for the past year, when the latter's name was a popular fancast for the DCU Batman. But this time, Crowley's question was a bit different, as he asked Alan Ritchson if there was a particular DCU hero or villain he wanted to play. To which the actor responded:

"Yeah. Yes. That's the conversation that I've been having with them is like, 'I want to play somebody a little messier.' And I told them, I said, if I'm going to do this, I described to them the kind of personality that I'd want to play and what that would mean to their world, and I think it's something everybody wants to see right now over there. So yes, I want to play somebody a little dirtier than your typical clean-cut protagonist."

It must be noted that Alan Ritchson has played superheroes with an edge in his past two DC roles as well. It must be noted that Ritchson's acting debut is with a DC project, Smallville Season 5. He played edgier Aquaman in the CW Superman prequel series.

A decade later, the Reacher actor played another DC hero, Hank Hall/Hawk, in Titans. Hawk's storyline in the maligned DC series dealt with darker storylines like substance use. Which is why Ritchson playing The Dark Knight might be something new for the actor, as Batman is a clear-cut hero despite the internet frequently associating him with darkness.

Ritchson's association with Batman explained:

James Gunn announced The Brave and the Bold, the DCU project headlined this continuity's version of Batman and Robin, in January 2023. Gunn has been clear that no DCU project will be greenlit until a script is complete, and The Brave and the Bold script is not finished. But that hasn't stopped fans from fan-casting the DCU version of The World's Greatest Detective.

One of the popular names in the running for the DCU Batman is that of Alan Ritchson, along with those of fellow Smallville actor Jensen Ackles, Glen Powell, and Brandon Sklenar. Ritchson, for his part, has said that despite wanting to play the Caped Crusader, he may not get the role after all. In an August 2025 Variety interview, the actor said that the chances of him playing the hero are slim:

"Well, it's not rumor that James Gunn is a fan. He said it himself. And am I a fan of James Gunn? Absolutely. I don't want to mislead people. Words have been exchanged about Batman. But I strongly don't think that Batman is in my future. I do think there is something in my future with DC. And I would like that to remain true."

DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn has also addressed Ritchson's casting in the July episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast. Revealing his appreciation for the Reacher actor, Gunn said:

"I am a big Alan Ritchson fan. Both as an actor and as a guy. Let's just wait to see what happens."

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Want to know why Ritchson is a popular candidate for the DCU Caped Crusader? Binge the three seasons of Reacher on Prime Video.

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