When James Gunn cast Chris Pratt as Guardians of the Galaxy's Star-Lord, many fans wondered whether Marvel Studios had made a huge mistake. Still, the actor proved his doubters wrong and is now being eyed for a DCU role.
The DC Studios co-CEO recently dismissed the notion of Pratt suiting up as Batman, but there are still plenty of DC Comics characters he could bring to life on screen.
In this feature, we've singled out five DC heroes—and villains—who would be a good fit for The Electric State and Jurassic World star. They're all very different from Peter Quill, and would arguably be well-suited to Pratt's skillset as an actor.
You can see who we'd like Pratt to play in the DCU by clicking the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
5. Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle is the son of New Genesis ruler, Highfather. However, he was raised by Darkseid after a peace treaty led to him being sent to Apokolips (Orion, meanwhile, took his place on New Genesis). Those cruel and abusive surroundings led Scott Free to make repeated escape attempts, and he eventually became the universe's greatest escape artist.
Fleeing to Earth, Scott became Mister Miracle, a celebrity escape artist and part-time superhero. He found love with his fellow Apokoliptian refugee, Big Barda, but continued to struggle with his past...and a DCU-set animated series featuring him is officially in the works.
This role makes a lot of sense for Chris Pratt, as he'd nail the humorous aspects of this character with Scott's inner struggles and largely unwanted celebrity status. Read Tom King's Mister Miracle run, and we're sure you'll agree that this would be a great role for Pratt.
4. The Atom
Ray Palmer is The Atom, a physicist who discovered a white dwarf star fragment, enabling him to shrink to microscopic sizes while retaining strength and mass control. Using a bio-belt, he fights crime and explores subatomic worlds.
Superman Returns star Brandon Routh did a terrific job playing this character in the Arrowverse, but we'd enjoy seeing a big-name actor like Pratt bring him to life on screen. There's a comedic edge to Ray, but the Guardians of the Galaxy star would be playing against type.
An argument could be made that a "nerdier" actor should play The Atom, but like many DC characters, he's been portrayed in a myriad of ways over the decades. That leaves the door open to Pratt exploring new sides of this size-changing scientist.
3. Booster Gold
Booster Gold is Michael Jon Carter, a former football star from the 25th century. Disillusioned by his lack of success and fame in his own time, he steals advanced technology, including a robotic sidekick named Skeets, and travels back to the 20th Century to become a superhero.
DC Studios has announced plans for a live-action Booster Gold TV series, and it's finally starting to take shape. Pratt has worked in television—including recently with The Terminal List: Dark Wolf—so he surely wouldn't be against the idea of bringing his talents back to the small screen.
Pratt looks the part and would be perfect as the washed-up football player who is now taking a crack at being a hero. After this series, we'd bet on Booster becoming a key part of the DCU, giving the actor a compelling new character he'd effortlessly convince fans to get behind.
2. Green Arrow
Oliver Queen is a billionaire vigilante who protects Star City with a bow and arrow as a street-level vigilante. Gunn has repeatedly expressed an interest in bringing Ollie into the DCU, and casting an A-list star like Pratt would be a smart move.
The CW's Arrow TV series often did right by Green Arrow. However, it also glossed over his romance with Black Canary and failed to explore his socially liberal values (which led to the now-iconic team-up with Green Lantern that saw them travel across America together).
There's still plenty that can be done with Green Arrow on screen, and Pratt has the right swagger and charm to put a fun spin on a vigilante who is cocky enough to frequently butts heads with Batman.
1. Reverse-Flash
We're going to end this feature by taking a wild swing, imagining Pratt as one of the DCU's villains. The Flash movie bombed, but the best thing to come out of its decision to utilise a crappy villain in "Dark Flash" (or whatever he was meant to be) is that Reverse-Flash wasn't ruined.
Eobard Thawne idolised the Scarlet Speedster in the 25th Century, but was driven insane when he attempted to replicate Barry's powers. With that, he travelled through time to torment The Flash, with the hope of destroying the hero's life.
We're hoping Gunn eventually plans to put a new spin on Barry Allen—and/or Wally West—with a more comic-accurate take on the hero than Ezra Miller's. Pratt could really stretch his acting chops here, delivering a formidable, unhinged foe for the Fastest Man Alive to face.