Alan Ritchson finally reveals whether he and James Gunn have talked about him joining the DC Universe as Batman in The Brave and the Bold. While Robert Pattinson will continue his run as the Caped Crusader in the Elseworlds franchise, the DCU’s Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters” will introduce a new Bruce Wayne to Gunn’s superhero universe. The Brave and the Bold movie will center on an established Dark Knight, with a Bat-Family already operating in DC Studios’ main continuity. The story will also introduce Damian Wayne, Bruce’s biological son, a.k.a. Robin, with Andy Muschietti set to direct the Batman reboot. In a new interview with Variety, Ritchson was directly asked about Gunn having shared his thoughts on Batman, as many are hoping to see the star land the role in the DCU. However, while Ritchson revealed that he has met with Gunn, the star shared the following update:
Well, it’s not rumor that James Gunn is a fan. He said it himself. And am I a fan of James Gunn? Absolutely. I don’t want to mislead people. Words have been exchanged about Batman. But I strongly don’t think that Batman is in my future. I do think there is something in my future with DC. And I would like that to remain true.
Ritchson has portrayed a number of DC superheroes in the past, appearing in Smallville season 5 onward as Arthur Curry, a.k.a. Aquaman. After his time as the iconic Justice League hero, Ritchson joined Titans as Hank Hall, a.k.a. Hawk, until the character’s death in season 3.

batman smirking

Because The Brave and the Bold is still being written, the DCU’s Batman casting hasn’t begun yet, as DC Studios will only start the search once the screenplay is completed. While Ritchson may not be playing the iconic DC hero in Gunn’s franchise, his new comments bode well that he could play another major character. With Ritchson’s rising stardom, having him join DC Studios as any superhero or supervillain would be a major boost for the DCU timeline. From his action-star qualities to his performance as a leading man, Gunn’s franchise will hopefully have something for the actor sooner rather than later.

Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher looking bloody in an episode of Reacher season 3

While it’s disappointing to hear that Ritchson will likely not end up being cast as Batman, there are a lot of other popular DC characters that he could get tapped to play for DC Studios. Whether or not this is a definitive decision remains to be seen, as this could simply be what he thinks is the case for the time being. Whether or not the movie will have an established actor playing Batman is also up in the air, as the studio could always look for a star similar to David Corenswet to be tapped for the huge gig. But, unfortunately, fans who were hoping to see Ritchson in The Brave and the Bold will sadly not have that casting come to fruition.