I think that one of reboot the DCU, a tidal wave of fan theories and suggestions have proliferated online. One name keeps popping up – and while he’s got the looks, the build, the charisma, and a growing résumé, I can’t help but think he'd be even better returning to the other DC superhero he portrayed nearly 20 years ago.
The Batman: The Brave and the Bold on the way, the internet is swimming with picks for a new Dark Knight. One of the most popular is an actor who previously starred as another member of the Justice League – and perhaps should again.
Alan Ritchson Is One Of The DC Universe's Main Batman Fan Casts
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Alan Ritchson is one of the most popular fan-casting for the DCU’s Batman. He’s certainly in that sweet spot of superstardom – big enough to headline a series yet still rising enough to bring freshness to iconic roles. With his breakout as Jack Reacher in Amazon’s Reacher, he’s now front and center in the public eye - audiences have taken notice.
Ritchson is tall, built like a tank, has intense screen presence, and, crucially, he knows how to carry a quiet menace with just a look. These are all essential Batman ingredients. Online fan art, casting videos, and Reddit threads consistently rank him among the top choices to become the next Bruce Wayne in the DCU.
Reacher has already given audiences a solid preview of how Ritchson could embody Batman's brutal yet methodical approach to justice. He’s proven he can anchor a franchise, hold moral ambiguity, and deliver action sequences with convincing weight. However, while Ritchson would absolutely be a great Batman, I think he could be an even better Aquaman.
Alan Ritchson Could Be A Better DCU Aquaman After Playing The Role Years Ago In Smallville
Long before Jason Momoa made the role his own in the DCEU, Alan Ritchson was Aquaman. He debuted as Arthur Curry in Smallville back in 2005, portraying the aquatic hero with a surfer’s confidence, righteous fury, and a hint of rogue charm. His version was less mythic god and more eco-warrior rebel – but it worked. For many, it was the first time Aquaman felt genuinely cool.
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Though Ritchson’s Smallville stint was brief, it left a lasting impression. His Aquaman wasn’t the butt of jokes or a watered-down sidekick. He had agency, attitude, and an edge that made him stand out among the show's growing roster of proto-Justice Leaguers.
Now, two decades later, with a more mature screen presence, deeper acting chops, and the physicality to rival any action star, Ritchson could take that early version of Aquaman and evolve it into something mythic. Something that blends both the regal gravitas and blue-collar grit that Aquaman demands.
Why Alan Ritchson Can Be Aquaman In Smallville & The DC Universe
Superhero Movies Have Already Established Multiversal Variants
Recasting Ritchson as Aquaman in the new DCU wouldn’t just be a nod to nostalgia – it could be a genuinely smart creative choice. Indeed, bringing back an actor like Ritchson in a different but familiar role opens up compelling narrative opportunities. He doesn’t need to play exactly the same Aquaman from Smallville. In fact, it would be even more exciting if his new Aquaman were framed as a sort of multiversal variant – acknowledging his earlier role subtly, while crafting a distinct and modern version of the character.
Marvel has expertly proven this possibility with characters like J.K. Simmons’ J. Jonah Jameson in each of the Spider-Man franchises, and Patrick Stewart ing the MCU as Charles Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The same face doesn’t need to mean the same history. It’s a wink to the audience that can build on their established knowledge.
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This would allow Ritchson to reinvent Aquaman in a new context: perhaps less god-king, more warrior-environmentalist; someone caught between two worlds but with a sharper, leaner tone than Momoa’s rock-star take. He could bring a depth and grounded intensity to the role that complements what the DCU is trying to become – less myth-heavy melodrama, more emotionally complex storytelling.
A similar multiverse tactic has already proven successful for Smallville, when Tom Well had a cameo as Smallville’s Clark in the CW’s Arrowverse. The DCU could follow suit and give one of DC’s most underrated actors the spotlight he deserves in a role he started but never got to finish. Batman may be the flashier casting, but Aquaman is where Ritchson could truly make waves.
