Stepping into a bonafide superstar like Tom Cruise’s shoes is not an easy task and comes with a ton of expectation. But Alan Ritchson has proved that he has what it takes to pull off this feat. The star took over from Cruise as the enigmatic protagonist Jack Reacher in the Amazon Prime television series. While the Cocktail star’s undisputed charisma made him a great choice for the films, Ritchson’s domineering physical presence worked perfectly for author Lee Child’s popular fictional character.
Thanks to his impressive performance in the series, the Fast X star is quickly becoming a sought-after actor with his name now being floated around to possibly play Batman in James Gunn’s DCU. Ritchson for his part, is welcoming this opportunity and believes that it would be a privilege for him to play DC’s celebrated hero.
Alan Ritchson Is Honored To Be Considered For Batman In The DCU
Following a significant revamp of the DC franchise under James Gunn which saw the exit of Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, and Gal Gadot, the search is on for actors to fill these big shoes. While David Corenswet has been confirmed as the next Superman, the casting for DC’s iconic superhero Batman is still being decided. Among the many speculations about who would fit the bill, fans are bringing up Alan Ritchson’s name as a potential candidate.
Ritchson who impressed viewers with his towering presence and brooding personality in the series Reacher, is being thought of as someone who can physically and emotionally carry off the coveted role. The Hunger Games star revealed that he felt blessed to even be a part of these discussions. Speaking to the Post Credits Podcast of BroBible, Ritchson said,
“The fact that people are interested in me playing Batman is a real honor and privilege. It’s one of the first characters I fell in love with as a child. I still remember the big, long pistol coming out of Joker’s pants as he goes to shoot down the Batplane”.
Being a self-confessed fanboy of the DC character, the celebrity confessed that it was a full circle moment for him to be a talking point among fans after he grew up admiring Batman and his legacy. There is a bit of a doom attached to the character though, as actors who have previously played Batman including Ben Affleck, have been criticized as being the wrong choice for the role even before they appeared on screen. But with fans favoring Ritchson, things could be different in the future.
How American Idol Gave Alan Ritchson His Hollywood Break
The saying ‘failure is a stepping stone to success’, can be perfectly applied to Alan Ritchson’s journey towards stardom. The Reacher star who is synonymous with the titular protagonist in the hit show, had an unexpected entry into Hollywood. Interestingly, acting was not on his agenda at all. The towering celebrity initially ventured into modeling in Miami. After being dissatisfied with the profession, he went on to pursue his dream of becoming a singer by auditioning for American Idol in the third season.
While Ritchson’s voice got him a ticket into the California rounds, he did not go much further in the competition. But fate had bigger plans for him. The Smallville actor’s rejection from American Idol opened up opportunities in the acting field that ultimately became a successful career shift for the star. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Ritchson recalled his turn of luck and said,
“I made it to the second round in Los Angeles. Even though I was cut, I was enamored of the passion people had there for their art. I decided to stay, and landed TV commercials and auditions.”
Ritchson’s bad fortune with a singing career ended up being a blessing in disguise for the actor who is now well on his way to becoming a big-league Hollywood star.
Season 1 and 2 of Reacher is streaming on Amazon Prime.
