Alan Ritchson Shows Off His Batman Voice (and Says DC Wouldn’t Have To Pay Him)

Alan Ritchson touches on the rumors that he could play Batman in a DC Universe project, showing off his Batman voice in a new video. To promote Reacher Season 3, the actor did an Autocomplete Interview for WIRED, where he addressed some of the most-searched queries about him. One of the cards contained the question “is Alan Ritchson playing Batman,” which drew a laugh. In his response, Ritchson mentioned that DC Studios co-head James Gunn has already said Ritchson won’t play the Dark Knight, but that didn’t stop the Reacher star from doing a Batman voice and saying he’d play the role for free.

“What’s amazing to me about this rumor of the Batman desire in the zeitgeist is the fact that James Gunn has personally announced publicly on his Twitter … ‘LOL. He’s not playing Batman’ … and this thing will not die,” Ritchson said. “I get asked every day if I’m playing Batman. Would I play Batman? Yes? You wouldn’t even have to pay me to be Batman. Yeah, I’d don the suit.” The actor then performed the line “Gotham is mine” in a deeper tone to illustrate how a Batman voice comes naturally to him.

While Robert Pattinson will continue to play Batman in director Matt Reeves’ Batman Epic Crime Saga (which continues with The Batman Part II in 2027), that series takes place in its own continuity separate from Gunn’s shared DC universe. This means Gunn will be on the hunt for another actor to play the Caped Crusader, as the movie The Brave and the Bold is in development at DC Studios. That project is said to follow an older Batman, featuring several members of the famous Bat Family. The film does not have a release date yet, but Andy Muschietti is in line to direct.

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As fans speculate who could be the DC Universe’s Batman, Ritchson has emerged as a popular pick. Even Kevin Smith is in favor of the actor putting on the cape and cowl. Last year, Ritchson voiced his interest in taking on the role, explaining why he loves the character so much. Since The Brave and the Bold is still in the earliest stages of development, no reported frontrunners for the role have emerged at this juncture.

It’s easy to see why Ritchson is among fans’ top choices for the part. As evidenced by Reacher, he certainly has the screen presence and action chops required to be an imposing Batman. Combine that with his personal admiration for the Dark Knight, and he could potentially deliver something special. Ritchson is also 43 years old, which would make him an appropriate age to portray a veteran Batman who’s taken multiple proteges under his wing. Of course, the actor’s availability to star in a massive blockbuster could be impacted by Reacher, as the hit Prime Video series has been renewed for a fourth season — and there could be more after that. Since Reacher isn’t ending anytime soon, Ritchson’s dream of being Batman might go unfulfilled.

That said, it’ll probably be a while before The Brave and the Bold comes out. With The Batman Part II delayed until 2027, it’s likely The Brave and the Bold won’t debut until after that; Warner Bros. may not want to release two separate live-action Batman films from different franchises in the same year. Depending on how the Brave and the Bold timeline aligns with Reacher, a door could be open for Ritchson to become the next Dark Knight. However, that would also involve Gunn changing his mind about casting the actor. Perhaps hearing Ritchson’s Batman voice will convince him.