Kevin Smith Endorses Reacher’s Alan Ritchson Playing Batman

It has been quite while since Alan Ritchson started playing superheroes. The Titans and Reacher star first stepped into the DC Universe in Smallville, in which he played the character of Arthur Curry/Aquaman. He would reprise that role a few times, although ironically, not in the planned Aquaman spinoff movie, in which the role went to Justin Hartley. Years later, Ritchson would be cast as Hawk (one half of the superhero duo Hawk and Dove) in Titans, the DC Universe/HBO Max/Max Original Series. Now, DC superfan and nerd culture icon Kevin Smith is endorsing the actor to play Batman.

Ritchson’s name has been coming up pretty consistently since the announcement that both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton would vacate the role in the upcoming DC Universe from producers James Gunn and Peter Safran. Ritchson himself has said he would be game to give it a try.

“[Reacher] continues to be a spellbindingly wonderful show that interrupts my relationship with Batman,” Smith joked during the latest episode of Fat Man Beyond. “What I said then, and it holds true for this season — I keep saying out loud as I’m watching it — this f—ing guy makes Batman seem kind of silly. Because he beats the s–t out of people, no cape, no f—ing mask, and he’ll kill you. He has not provocation about that. He’s not like, ‘I can’t, because of my f—ing parents,’ he’s like, ‘F–k you!’ – SNAP. I remember watching Reacher season one and then going to see The Batman, and for the first time in my life, it was like, ‘Why would you wear a mask like that? It doesn’t seem practical at all. You can’t see your peripheral, or anything like that.’ But there is a story that broke this week that Alan Ritchson…literally wants to play Batman. That makes my life perfect, because then I can go from Reacher to Batman, and I can be like, I believe them both because of the actor.”

“I support it though, man,” Smith added. “F–k, cast that guy as Batman.”

You can see the full show below.

Reacher follows Jack Reacher, a veteran military police investigator who has just recently entered civilian life. Reacher is a drifter, carrying no phone and the barest of essentials as he travels the country and explores the nation he once served. When Reacher arrives in the small town of Margrave, Georgia, he finds a community grappling with its first homicide in 20 years. The cops immediately arrest him and eyewitnesses claim to place Reacher at the scene of the crime. While he works to prove his innocence, a deep-seated conspiracy begins to emerge, one that will require Reacher’s keen mind and hard-hitting fists to deal with. One thing above all is for sure: They picked the wrong guy to take the fall.

In addition to Ritchson in the titular role, Reacher stars The Inhumans star Serinda Swan, Sandman‘s Ferdinand Kingsley, and Winning Time‘s Rory Cochrane. 

The new cast of Reacher Season 2 also includes Shaun Sipos, Domenick Lombardozzi, Luke Bilyk, Dean McKenzie, Edsson Morales, Andres Collantes, Shannon Kook-Chun, Ty Victor Olsson, Josh Blacker, and Al Sapienza. Maria Sten reprises her role as Frances Neagley from Season 1.

New episodes of Reacher premiere Fridays on Prime Video.