Would Alan Ritchson Make the Perfect Batman in James Gunn’s DCU?

With rumors swirling and Alan Ritchson himself eager to play James Gunn’s Batman, many are wondering if he can cut it as the new DCU’s Dark Knight.

SUMMARY

 Alan Ritchson has the look, age, and feel to play James Gunn’s DCU Batman.

There is no doubt that James Gunn’s DCU is getting a lot of attention. With Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom ending the DCEU officially, fans are as interested as ever in seeing the casting plan Gunn’s team will be enacting. David Corenswet has already signed on as the new Superman, Rachel Brosnahan is the new Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult is the new Lex Luthor.

While Gunn’s Superman: Legacy is in full-swing, not much is known about The Brave and the Bold. Other than the movie focusing on an older Bruce Wayne trying to keep his son Damian on the right side of the tracks.

Rumors have been circulating, suggesting Alan Ritchson could be cast as the Caped Crusader. Given that Ritchson’s career is expanding a bit more, fans are intrigued by this possibility.

Though he isn’t an A-List Hollywood name like former Dark Knight Ben Affleck, Ritchson would actually be an excellent choice if given the opportunity to fill the Bat boots.

Alan Ritchson Has the Look and Feel For Batman

At 41 years of age, Ritchson has the look and feel of Batman. On a visual level, he gives the impression he is in his late 30s. The physique, intimidation and height can all combine to create Batman’s imposing presence.

If anything, Prime Video’s Reacher Season 2 is proof Ritchson can be this huge, rugged hero. In Bruce’s case, he can easily go from handsome, rich playboy to an angry vigilante of the night.

This was also seen in Fast X, where Ritchson turned in a great account of himself. He portrayed the suave Agent Aimes, the leader of the Agency who hunted but later partnered with Dominic Toretto’s team.

In the end, Aimes flipped on the heroes, confirming he was working for the evil Dante (played by Jason Momoa). In that movie, he showed he had a ruthless, cutthroat edge, which is what an older, grizzled and cynical Batman displays at times with the Justice League.

Ritchson also played Raphael in Michael Bay’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies, coming off as one of its more redeeming qualities. Ritchson has already shown he can handle roles that require duality, whether it is as an altruistic leader or as a hardened soldier of war. These roles make Ritchson a perfect fit for Batman.

To top it off, Ritchson has played two DC superheroes already. In the 2000s, he was Arthur Curry (aka Aquaman) in the Smallville TV series. There, he displayed a tremendous amount of range: comedy, romance and drama amid The CW’s lighthearted vibe at the time.

Now that he’s older, it’s easy to see him using all of this experience to help bring the iconic Dark Knight to life. If Gunn wants a buff actor to play the fatherly version of Bruce, Ritchson has the nuance to do just that.

Alan Ritchson Already Excelled With a Dark Robin Arc

Ironically, Ritchson already had a story where he was a hero looking out for a dark Robin. This was seen in Titans. Ritchson played Hawk, a violent hero, who Nightwing struggled to control after Hawk lost his brother.

In time, Hawk matured, understanding he had to set an example for the younger charges. One of them included an angsty Jason Todd, (played by Curran Walters) who was going off the rails.

Hawk tried to mentor Jason and keep him in line, letting the Boy Wonder know not to let rage get the best of him. Hawk spoke a lot about anger management, isolation (after Dove left him), and the rigors of mental health issues.

All of this trauma left him struggling to cope, but he eventually found purpose in helping Jason and reminding the teenager the value of family. Sadly, Jason became Red Hood and turned on the Titans.

Despite Hawk believing in him, Jason blew the hero up in one of the show’s most heartbreaking arcs. This was an emotional rollercoaster that not even Dick had anticipated. Many fans felt it was a pseudo-Batman audition, with Hawk coming off like the father Jason never hard. Ritchson has the range to silence doubters.

Meeting the first Dove nodded a lot to Bruce often wishing he could be reunited with his parents. This is the kind of narrative fans can see Batman enduring in the DCU, using his pain to heal an edgy Damian who will always contemplate betraying his no-kill code.

Still, that unwavering optimism and hope is there, with the Dark Knight sure to keep trying to inspire Damian to find the hero within. Ritchson nailed this arc in Titans, so if Gunn wants to follow this path with a veteran hoping to make his protégé great again, Ritchson can deliver it in spades.

To top it off, Ritchson said he would love to play Batman, cementing that there is interest in the role. As he knows the essence of the DC Batman stories already, it feels like he would be an organic fit.

Alan Ritchson Brings a Major Advantage to the Dark Knight

A major positive is that Ritchson brings less pressure to the role. Once the spotlight is on, it can be tough to acclimate to such a popular character, especially with high amounts of media attention.

When a big star is in the limelight, things often go off kilter. Ben Affleck had a lot of eyes on him, as well as major expectations. Jared Leto as the Joker also brought intense attention.

This can lead to even more scathing criticisms than usual. But when people don’t expect much or when the public doubts what’s to come — like casting Heath Ledger as the Joker and Robert Pattinson as Matt Reeves’ Batman — actors can flourish.

Notably, Gunn isn’t always into Big Hollywood names. This was first noted when he cast Chris Pratt to play Star Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy. Pratt was known for Parks and Recreation, but he didn’t have any big, leading roles in movies.

In Moneyball and Wanted, he was nothing more than supporting cast. This left fans cynical and dismissive about whether a TV comedian could transition into the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Peter Quill. However, Gunn harnessed the right energy as most of the audience ignored him and became pessimistic.

The same took place for the likes of Dave Bautista as Drax, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, and even John Cena as DC’s Peacemaker. When expectations are low, Gunn knows how to shoot out diamonds.

Ritchson is exactly the kind of talent he can refine, going under the radar as this unheralded TV actor. He can surprise everyone by producing a towering, terrifying monolith of the night. Seeing as Gunn knows about character portraits and franchises, Ritchson can immerse himself in these kinds of roles.

Another example to look at is Reacher. After Tom Cruise’s depiction, fans didn’t really take note, thinking the show would turn into a dead franchise. But Ritchson has resuscitated the character of Jack Reacher and left viewers impressed by how well-rounded he is.

It speaks to how Ritchson takes low-pressure situations and owns his roles. A few years ago, Ritchson as the new Batman might have been seen as a gamble and far-fetched.

In 2024, it’s a casting that could well make Gunn and Brave and the Bold’s director, Andy Muschietti, look like a couple of geniuses as they polish and suit up an underestimated gem like Alan Ritchson.