Reacher star Alan Ritchson almost landed a major DCU role, according to a new report. The actor has been lobbying to play Batman in James Gunn’s DC Universe for years, though it appears the character he almost got cast as was not the Dark Knight.
While appearing on The Hot Mic, scooper Jeff Sneider revealed that Ritchson was in talks to play Deathstroke in DC’s upcoming Bane/Deathstroke crossover film. Sneider corroborated a previous scoop from X user Fortress of DC, in which the latter also claimed the same. It should be noted that DC Studios has not commented on the topic, so it should be treated as a rumor for the time being. It’s unclear if Ritchson finalised a deal to play the character in the upcoming film.
Ritchson had previously confirmed that he had discussions with Gunn about landing a role that suited him in the DCU. The actor is no stranger to DC characters, having previously played Aquaman on Smallville. Deathstroke was previously played by Joe Manganiello in Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
What do we know about the Deathstroke and Bane movie?
The Deathstroke/Bane film has been reported to be in development for over two years. Reports from earlier in the year revealed that the film did not have a completed script. However, DC Studios was reported to have found a frontrunner to direct the film in Greg Mottola. Matthew Orton has been reported to be writing the project.
As for its story and the potential of a Batman appearance, those details have been kept under wraps. The DCU will start to explore the world of Batman with Clayface, releasing later this year. As for the Dark Knight himself, there have been no major updates on the status of The Brave and the Bold in the DCU. DC Studios is currently producing The Batman Part II, which is set in a universe separate from the DCU.
The Deathstroke/Bane film currently does not have a release date.
