The future of the DC Universe is looking bright for a lot of fans after James Gunn’s Superman stunned as the first entry for the superhero franchise reboot. Now, all eyes are on other upcoming DC movies and how other beloved heroes will be adapted. While the script for Robert Pattinson’s second outing as The Batman is in the can, that version of the character has been classified under Elseworlds. So, the hunt will be on for the main universe’s Batman eventually, and James Gunn just addressed a popular fan pick.
James Gunn Shares Thoughts On Alan Ritchson As Batman
Reacher actor Alan Ritchson has been the subject of Batman fan casting as of late, as we wait for the next Batman casting news. And when Gunn was a guest on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he was naturally asked about his thoughts on the pick for the Caped Crusader. In his words:
I am a big Alan Ritchson fan, both as an actor and as a guy. Let's just wait to see what happens.
Well, this is somewhat good news for fans who hope to see the actor in the cape and cowl. James Gunn is apparently already following his work and called himself a “big” fan of him, not only as an actor, but the man he is. Those are two important things that would heighten Ritchson’s chances of nabbing the part, but I think the Superman director left things open-ended for a good reason.
I note that because of what Gunn recently said about working on the DC Universe’s Batman. He’s still in the middle of cracking the latest version of the character. Last month, the Guardians of the Galaxy director said the character is his “biggest issue in all of DC right now” because “he’s incredibly important to the DC” and “has to have a reason for existing.” There have been so many iterations of the character over the years, so fans have already seen a lot of Batman. He doesn’t want it to feel like he’s making a Batman movie just because he’s incredibly popular, but because there’s a great new take for the comic book character.
So, I totally get why he won't directly comment on Ritchson's potential. However, I love that he loves the Reacher star.
What Alan Ritchson Has Said About Playing Batman
To move back to Alan Ritchson, the actor has definitely weighed in on playing Batman, considering apparently he gets “asked every day” about it. He's also so interested in playing the role that they “wouldn’t even have to pay” him. In another interview, he said he’d happily “shout” from the rooftops about his interest in taking on the role, also sharing that he loves that his superpower is intelligence and he wants to be “that guy.”
Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he loves sports cars and motorcycles like Batman does. Not to mention, Ritchson simply looks like a superhero and has the physique and work experience to play out the gritty action Batman tends to find himself in.
All that being said, James Gunn and his collaborators are still nailing down the script for the next Batman movie that’s not Robert Pattinson’s version. So, we’ll have to wait and see for a while before we officially meet the new Batman.
