Alan Ritchson’s New Prime Video Action Movie’s RT Score Is a Harsh Reality Check for Reacher Replacement Hopes

Alan Ritchson has made a name for himself starring in Reacher, one of Prime Video’s most popular TV series. With three seasons under his belt and a fourth greenlit, the actor has made the role of Jack Reacher his own, impressing viewers with his screen presence and action chops. The success of Reacher has made Ritchson an in-demand talent, and he’s been scoring parts in movies in between Reacher seasons. Though he was part of the Fast X ensemble, Ritchson has yet to headline a major action hit he can call his own, though that isn’t for lack of trying. His latest film has just arrived, and it unfortunately has been panned.

Ritchson continued his partnership with Prime Video by starring in the action comedy Playdate alongside Kevin James. In the film, James and Ritchson play fathers Brian and Jeff, who set up a playdate for their sons. Things go haywire when mercenaries arrive and target Jeff, unexpectedly thrusting Brian into a life-or-death scenario. As of this writing, Playdate has a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 23% from 13 reviews. The audience score is better but still in the rotten territory (54%). It’s one of Ritchson’s lowest-rated movies on Rotten Tomatoes, behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (20%) and Steam (0%), making Playdate a setback for Ritchson’s career as a movie star.

How Alan Ritchson Can Rebound From Playdate

It doesn’t look like Playdate will be the next action classic, but it shouldn’t be a death blow for Ritchson’s time as a leading man. Obviously, he still has Reacher Season 4 on the way, and based on the show’s track record, it should continue to be one of the best action shows available on streaming. But while it’s great Ritchson still has Reacher to lean on, he would probably like to find success with other types of action projects and break out of the Reacher mold a bit. Though Playdate didn’t turn out as well as he would have liked, it’s easy to see why the film appealed to Ritchson. It gives him an opportunity to flex his action muscles while leaning more into comedy as opposed to the more serious tone of Reacher.

Fortunately, Ritchson could have some avenues to explore. He has confirmed that he’s been in contact with DC Studios about a potential role in a mystery project. Ritchson has long been a popular fancast for Batman, but he’s expressed interest in playing a “dirtier” character who isn’t just a clean-cut hero. The DC Universe franchise got off to a strong start this year with Superman and Peacemaker Season 2, so working with James Gunn and Co. could be a great way for Ritchson to push his career forward. The DC IP would be the main attraction of any film or show he stars in, but it would still be a chance for him to prove himself in another realm, potentially leading a superhero franchise.

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In addition to Reacher Season 4, Ritchson has a handful of other upcoming projects, including the sci-fi action movie War Machine and The Man with the Bag, a Christmas action comedy that sees Ritchson star alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger (who’s playing Santa Claus). Perhaps the most intriguing film on deck for Ritchson is a biopic about Navy SEAL Mike Thornton, who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroic actions behind enemy lines during the Vietnam War. None of these films have release dates, however, so it remains to be seen when audiences will get a chance to see them. Ideally, at least a couple of these will be well-received, paving the way for Ritchson to add other memorable roles to his resume.

Understandably, Ritchson is actively searching for some non-Reacher roles. There will come a point in time when the TV series ends, so it’s important for Ritchson to establish himself in other projects so he can continue to be one of the leading action stars of this era. Hopefully something comes to fruition with DC Studios in the near future. Ritchson doesn’t think he’ll be Batman, but there are plenty of other DC roles he’d be a great fit for, which would cement him as a key presence in a popular shared universe.

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