Reacher star Alan Ritchson has long been a fan-favourite choice to play the DCU's Batman. Unfortunately, he disappointed many fans last month when he confirmed that, following a meeting with DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, the Dark Knight is not in his future.
There are plenty of other characters he could play, though, and the actor weighed in on a couple of them at the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend.
Ritchson's big break came in Smallville, where he played Aquaman. With Jason Momoa moving on from Arthur Curry to Lobo for next year's Supergirl movie, would his fellow Fast & Furious star be down to return to the seas? Not quite.
"No, I would never take that from [Jason Momoa]. I have too much respect," Ritchson said. "I would definitely want to explore new horizons, and I have a feeling we may. We’ll see."
When the interviewer put it to the actor that he'd be a fine choice for the DCU's Wildcat, the Motor City star confirmed he's familiar with the hero, and acknowledged it would be a "fun" role. Judging by his comments here, it seems he and Gunn have already discussed some possibilities for him.
After starring in Smallville, Ritchson dipped his toes back into the DC water for a stint as Titans' Hawk. Prime Video's Reacher has gone a long way in making him a much bigger star, of course, so now feels like the right time for Gunn to find him a character he can really sink his teeth into and make his own.
As noted, Ritchson recently took himself out of the running for Batman. "Well, it’s not a rumour 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."
Looking through some of your suggestions in a recent comments section, Shazam, Green Arrow, and Captain Atom are just a few of the most popular suggestions when it comes to possible roles for Richtson in the DCU.
As for The Brave and the Bold, Gunn and Peter Safran have still not cast Batman. However, Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight will return in 2027's The Batman Part II, a franchise expected to remain an "Elseworlds" property moving forward.
You can hear more from Richtson in the player below.