See fanart of Reacher star Alan Ritchson as Batman

James Gunn is currently hard at work rebooting the DC Cinematic Universe. He's readying a new Batman movie called The Brave and the Bold, but hasn't yet announced who will be playing the Caped Crusader. The internet has a suggestion: how about Alan Ritchson, who plays wandering do-gooding badass Jack Reacher in Reacher on Amazon Prime Video?

Ritchson himself seems down with it. "With all the rumors flying that I’m supposed to be playing Batman, how can I knock Batman? I would love to play Batman," he told Fortress of Solitude. "You know, [Batman without a cape] is a great analogy [for Jack Reacher], actually. 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."

To show us what Ritchson might look like as Bruce Wayne, artist spdrmnkyxxiii mocked up an image of him under Batman's cape and cowl, looking like he just got done with a fight. You should see the other guy. Check out the artwork here.

On Reacher, Ritchson cuts an impressive figure; he's 6'3" and jacked to hell and back; if I were a criminal in Gotham City and saw him coming, I'd rethink my life.

Currently, The Brave and the Bold is set for a release date of October 3, 2025. If it hopes to keep that date, we'll have to start hearing about casting decisions fairly soon. And just in case you're wondering, none of this has anything to do with The Batman movies starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne. Those are progressing on a separate track.

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