Did Alan Ritchson Just Confirm He’s Playing Bane in Gunn’s DCU ‘Bane & Deathstroke’?

Alan Ritchson has spent years as one of the most persistent fan casting choices for DC’s live-action universe, with speculation about the Reacher star landing a major role only intensifying since James Gunn took the reins of DC Studios. That chatter has followed Ritchson through nearly every major interview he has given since Gunn’s Superman reboot kicked off the new DC Universe.

What started as fan speculation eventually evolved into genuine confirmation that conversations were happening behind the scenes. Ritchson has been remarkably candid about those talks over the past year, even as he continues managing expectations about exactly what role, if any, might ultimately materialize.

Ritchson has now confirmed he has had a lot of conversations with James Gunn about working on a DC Studios movie, expressing hope that whatever project eventually comes together feels like something everyone involved could be proud of. That level of openness marks a notable shift from earlier, more guarded comments the actor made about his prospects with the studio.

This latest confirmation builds on a well-documented history between Ritchson and Gunn. Gunn first addressed the speculation directly on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, telling host Josh Horowitz that he considers himself a big Alan Ritchson fan, both as an actor and as a person, while stopping short of confirming any specific casting.

Ritchson himself has been equally forthcoming about the nature of those discussions. Speaking to Variety, he explained that words have genuinely been exchanged about Batman specifically, though he made clear he strongly does not believe that particular role is in his future, adding that he does think there is something else in his future with DC that he would like to see remain true.

That distinction between Batman and some other potential role has become a recurring theme throughout Ritchson’s public comments on the subject. He has previously described wanting to play someone a little messier than a traditional hero, explaining that he outlined the kind of personality he would want to portray and what that character could mean for DC’s broader world.

Ritchson brings a genuinely unique history to these ongoing conversations given his prior experience within the DC universe. He previously played Arthur Curry, also known as Aquaman, across multiple episodes of Smallville, and later took on the role of Hank Hall, known as Hawk, throughout his run on Titans, giving him two separate prior stints within DC adjacent properties.

The persistent Batman speculation traces back to Ritchson’s own public campaigning for the role, including comments he made to Wired describing his eagerness to don the cowl, joking that nobody would even need to pay him to play the character. Despite that enthusiasm, DC’s plans for its new Batman appear centered on ‘The Brave and the Bold,’ a father-son story introducing Damian Wayne alongside an already established Bruce Wayne within Gunn’s shared universe.

With casting for that project reportedly still on hold until the screenplay is finished, and Ritchson continuing to express genuine hope about eventually landing somewhere within Gunn’s DC Universe, fans have plenty of reason to keep watching for updates. Given how consistently both parties have kept this conversation alive across multiple interviews, an eventual announcement feels less like speculation and more like a matter of time.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!