Alan Ritchson has become a prominent figure on television, particularly due to his role in “Reacher.” Previously known mainly through fan casting suggestions, his solid acting abilities and impressive physique have made him a favorite choice among comic book enthusiasts. Many fans are eager to see him portray a new Batman in James Gunn’s DCU. Welcoming the idea, Ritchson expressed his enthusiasm in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, by saying, “I would love to play Batman, there, I said it! Okay, I’ll shout it from the rooftops, ‘I want to be Bruce Wayne!'”

Nevertheless, Batman is not the only character Ritchson has shown interest in. Interestingly, his aspirations extend beyond the realms of Marvel or DC, aiming instead for a role among the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Specifically, Ritchson is interested in playing Michelangelo, the spirited ninja turtle known for his blue bandana and dual katanas. This choice is unusual because Ritchson has previously portrayed another turtle, Raphael, using motion capture technology in the 2014 “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” film.

“I played Raphael in the Ninja Turtles, but I wanted to be Mikey,” Ritchson revealed to Flickering Myth. “So I’m hoping maybe someday in the future, I’ll get to be Mikey in some alternate universe.” Given the frequent reboots of the Turtles both on television and film over the last two decades, it’s not far-fetched to consider Ritchson’s chances of achieving this dream.

Regardless of whether he eventually portrays Batman in the DCU or fulfills his desire to play Michelangelo in a “TMNT” reboot, Alan Ritchson has already carved out a significant niche in the superhero genre. His journey began when he brought to life the aquatic hero Arthur Curry, also known as Aquaman, in the WB series “Smallville.”

During his tenure of four episodes, Ritchson’s character was instrumental in assembling a proto-Justice League that featured Clark Kent/Superman (Tom Welling), Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (Justin Hartley), Bart Allen/Impulse (Kyle Gallner), Victor Stone/Cyborg (Lee Thompson Young), among others. Though the network opted for Justin Hartley to star in an unsuccessful Aquaman spin-off pilot, Ritchson’s role as the bird half of the superhero duo Hawk and Dove in the show “Titans” kept him deeply entwined with DC heroes. This duo was co-created by Steve Ditko, also known for co-creating Spider-Man.

Though some might worry about Ritchson being overexposed by taking on an additional superhero role, his adeptness at embodying comic book icons makes this concern seem unlikely. Whether as Batman or Michelangelo, adding either character to Ritchson’s repertoire would likely be well received by fans, complementing his robust filmography of superhero portrayals.