Reacher
Alan Ritchson is currently on top of the world with the second season of Reacher premiering on Amazon Prime Video. Not only is it one of Amazon’s top shows, despite costing roughly several hundred million less than say, Rings of Power, season 2 has already arrived with a perfect 100% score from critics, and high audience scores to boot.
So, where does this high profile take Ritchson next? Well, he’s been the subject of a number of fancastings that has him in the role of the new Bruce Wayne/Batman in James Gunn’s DCU. I wrote yesterday about the interesting fact that Gunn actually offered Matt Reeves the chance to have his Robert Pattinson Batman as the DCU’s Batman, but he said no. So yes, Gunn does need one.
Ritchson himself has now commented on the rumors, speaking to Fortress of Solitude, who said that Reacher was “Batman without a cape.” Ritchson:
“[Laughs] With all the rumors flying that I’m supposed to be playing Batman, how can I knock Batman? I would love to play Batman.” He goes on to compare the two and say “Batman’s cooler.”
So, Ritchson as Bruce? It’s interesting casting, as Ritchson has actually played two live action DC superheroes before, one recently. That would be Hawk in the Hawk and Dove pairing opposite Minka Kelly in Titans (where he was killed off so he could go do Reacher). But then way, way back, the first time I ever saw him in anything was when he was playing Arthur Curry, Aquaman, in Smallville. That’s Lois Lane he’s rescuing from drowning below. Clark was very jealous for this entire arc.
Smallville
If you’ve seen Reacher you know that Ritchson is…large. And while our range of Batmen have certainly been in shape, we have never seen a one built like he just won a national bodybuilding competition. And yet, of course, Batman is jacked, big and strong, at least in his older variants, not necessarily younger ones like Pattinson’s.
James Gunn’s Batman is starring in The Brave and the Bold, where he will have a relationship with his son, Damian Wayne, one of many Robins in Batman history. And while fancasts do not usually pan out into actual casting, we’ll see what Gunn may make of the idea. We have not heard many rumblings about who he’s thinking of for Bruce, given how wrapped up he’s been in Superman Legacy. Reportedly The Flash director Andy Muschietti is doing The Brave and the Bold, but it’s unclear if that may have changed given that movie lost $200 million at the box office.
Is it bad that I don’t…really see it? Don’t get me wrong, I love Ritchson as Reacher, but I’m not sure about him as Bruce Wayne. Maybe as Batman, but Bruce? Less so. I don’t know, I’m not opposed to it. Anyway, can’t wait for the next five episodes of Reacher.
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Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
