Ever since it was confirmed that Robert Pattinson’s Batman won’t be carried over into the DC Universe (instead continuing to headline a series under the Elseworlds banner), fans haven’t been shy about sharing their picks for the next big-screen Dark Knight. One of the most popular choices to emerge is Reacher star Alan Ritchson, who certainly has the build and screen presence to play an intimidating Batman. It only adds fuel to the fire when James Gunn says he’s “a big Alan Ritchson fan,” and the actor himself has teased talks with the DC Studios co-head. As people wait to see if he’ll don the cape and cowl, Ritchson has shed more light on the kind of role he wants to play in the DCU.
Speaking with Screen Rant, Ritchson detailed the talks he’s had with DC, sharing he’s not interested in playing a “clean-cut protagonist.” “That’s the conversation that I’ve been having with them is like, ‘I want to play somebody a little messier,’” he said. “And I told them, I said, if I’m going to do this, I described to them the kind of personality that I’d want to play and what that would mean to their world, and I think it’s something everybody wants to see right now over there. So yes, I want to play somebody a little dirtier than your typical clean-cut protagonist.“
Over the summer, Gunn described Batman as “a f—ing maniac” when discussing the core differences between Batman and Superman. With that in mind, Batman could be a role that fulfills Ritchson’s dream of playing a “dirtier” character. While much about the DCU’s plans for Batman remain under wraps, Gunn has confirmed the shared universe’s iteration will not be campy. That would seemingly open the door for a darker portrayal, one that could toe the moral line. Perhaps the DCU’s Batman could employ some questionable methods on his quest to keep Gotham safe. If Gunn decides to make Batman an older, more experienced hero, there would be an opportunity to showcase a character who’s become jaded and is at the end of his rope.
There definitely are ways to dirty up Batman, but at the end of the day, he’s still a hero. And the DCU has already integrated Batman’s famous no-kill rule into canon. Theoretically, that could change, but right now it sounds like Batman will be doing his best to keep everyone — including his enemies — alive. Though the “maniac” Batman will be looking to scare criminals on the streets of Gotham, there might be a limit to how much the filmmakers can push boundaries with the character. Batman may not necessarily be “clean-cut,” but he also may not be “dirty” enough for Ritchson’s taste.
For what it’s worth, Ritchson himself has cast doubt on portraying Batman. While he remains optimistic about joining the DCU, he has said, “I strongly don’t think that Batman is in my future.” The reasoning for that is unclear. It’s plausible that in his conversations with DC Studios, he learned more about Gunn’s vision for the character and decided it wasn’t the best fit for him. It’s also possible that Ritchson wants to join the DCU sooner rather than later, and the franchise’s first Batman movie is still years away. Gunn doesn’t want The Brave and the Bold to come out in the same calendar year as The Batman Part II (releasing October 2027), meaning the former won’t come out until 2028 at the earliest. And that’s if DC Studios wants to release it in between Matt Reeves Batman installments.
The Brave and the Bold director Andy Muschietti has teased some reveals could happen in the near future, so it’ll be interesting to see if that comes to pass. Despite Ritchson’s comments, fans will continue to hold out hope that he can land the starring role, but even if that doesn’t happen, DC mythology is full of intriguing antiheroes and villains that would give Ritchson an opportunity to sink his teeth into something that’s “dirtier” than your standard do-gooder.
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