Artwork of Alan Ritchson as Batman rises after the Reacher star says he’d love to play the Dark Knight

With Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom playing in theaters, the DCEU as we know it is over. It’s time to forge ahead with new projects on the horizon overseen by DC bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran. Cameras have yet to roll for Gunn’s upcoming Superman film, Superman: Legacy, but rumors about who could play Big Blue’s broody counterpart, Batman, are making the rounds. Earlier this month, Reacher star Alan Ritchson said he’d love to play Batman while addressing rumors about him being up for the part. This statement sent fans into overdrive, with many supporting Ritchson’s interest in playing the Caped Crusader, including artist spdrmnkyxxiii, who recently posted artwork depicting Ritchson as Batman on Instagram.

“I would love to play Batman,” Ritchson told Fortress of Solitude about possibly playing Batman during an interview. “You know, [Batman without a cape] is a great analogy, actually,” Ritchson said about filmmaker Kevin Smith referring to his Reacher character as “Batman without a cape.” Adding, “But I mean, Batman has got like a cave, and Reacher doesn’t even have a house. He’s got a toothbrush. So, I think Batman has got cool stuff. Dude is loaded and has caves, penthouses, and spotlights that call him. Batman’s cooler.”

In spdrmnkyxxiii’s artwork, Ritchson dons a battle-damaged cape and cowl while surveying Gotham rooftops. The redesigned suit includes a gold-colored bat symbol and a segmented neckpiece for easy movement. Looking as if he’s fought hundreds of the Joker’s henchmen in 5 minutes, Ritchson’s Batman appears to be ready for more.

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While Ritchson is making headlines for his role on Prime Video‘s Reacher, he’s no stranger to the superhero arena. Previously, he played a young Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman, in the CW’s Smallville. He also played Hawk in the DC live-action series Titans. With his massive build, imposing voice, and love for the character, I could see Ritchson playing Bats in Gunn’s rebooted DCU.

Would Alan Ritchson make for a fantastic Batman? Is there any truth to the rumors about him possibly playing the character in Gunn’s DCU? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.