While Alan Ritchson is best known now for starring in Prime Video's Reacher, his big break came playing Aquaman in Smallville. He'd go on to star as Hawk in the short-lived Titans TV series, but has yet to take on a lead role in a superhero movie.
Way back when Marvel Studios was searching for the MCU's Thor, Ritchson was among the frontrunners for the role. Unfortunately for the actor, his audition didn't go to plan, and then-relative unknown Chris Hemsworth went on to find superstardom as the God of Thunder.
In an interview with Josh Horowitz, Ritchson revealed where it all went wrong for him with Thor and the key piece of advice he received—likely from either Sarah Halley Finn, Randi Hiller, or Tamara-Lee Notcutt—that changed his career.
"That was less an 'Is that so?' moment, [because] I got terrible feedback," he recalled. "It was constructive in the sense that the casting director felt like I was such a sure thing if I just 'had the craft,' as she put it. I didn't show up that day ready. This is never going to happen again, and sometimes we need that."
"The question is, is our ego going to get in the way? I could have said anything, but I was like, 'I'm never going to let that happen again,'" Ritchson explained. "I took a step back from the business to learn what the craft means, and man, am I better for it, and my work is better for it. I'm grateful for that tough day."
Thanks to his standout turn as the tough-as-nails Jack Reacher, the actor has become a firm fan-favourite for The Brave and the Bold's Batman in DC Studios' DCU. Asked where things stand with his potentially joining that franchise, he said, "James Gunn and I have spoken a lot."
After taking a long pause, he was pressed on Batman and replied, "There's so much to unpack here that you don't even know. You don't know what you're asking for. I really respect James. I would like to do something with James. James would like to do something with me, but my litmus test for what I will take is strict."
"I pick the shit out of projects. I know how to develop a project, and anything I do with DC will still meet my standards, right? It'll have to meet my standards, and I hope that we work on something that feels like we're all making this movie that I would be proud of," Ritchson continued, confirming that he would like to be involved creatively "if it would help."
"There could be a bright future for us, and there have been a lot of conversations," he added, confirming he has a specific character in mind. "Look, the future is bright, and the horizons are broad, and anything is possible for any of us, okay?"
Reading between the lines, while Batman is likely off the table, it doesn't sound like Ritchson is eager to accept any old role that Gunn throws his way as a consolation prize.
He knows who he wants to play and is determined to only star in a DCU movie if he's 100% happy with it (he's no doubt also seen what's happened with his Fast & Furious co-star Jason Momoa and Supergirl). With so much uncertainty around what this franchise looks like beyond 2027, only time will tell where Ritchson could fit in. Deathstroke, perhaps?
You can hear more from the Reacher star in the player below.