Reacher Star Alan Ritchson Feels Marvel Movies Have One Big Problem

Before he embodied the hulking protagonist of "Reacher" on Prime Video, Alan Ritchson played Hank Hall/Hawk for three seasons of DC's "Titans." At the time, it seems he was all-in on DC's superhero universe to the extent he didn't even watch Marvel movies. In 2018, Ritchson spoke at New York Comic Con (via Comic Book Resources), where he praised "Titans" for portraying superheroes in what he saw as a more raw and honest way. "I think I'm just excited that the fans are finally getting a really raw, human look at superheroes." he said. "I think, for me, the reason I don't go see 'Infinity War' movies or whatever these are is because there's no stakes in it," he explained. "Everybody feels invincible all the time."

At one time, Ritchson auditioned to play Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but was told by the producers that he didn't have the level of "craft" they were looking for. This prompted him to start acting lessons, but by 2018, he clearly wasn't too bothered about getting on the good side of Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige. Following his post-"Reacher" rise to fame, the actor also isn't too bothered about getting on the good side of pretty much anyone in the action movie sphere. Even after making his debut as Jack Reacher, Ritchson has made no secret of his issues with modern action heroes, talking openly about how many of them seem "invincible," which in his eyes makes things less fun. It's the same problem he has with Marvel, in that when a protagonist is seemingly invincible, that immediately reduces the stakes.

Though Ritchson left "Titans" after its third season, he clearly enjoyed his time on the show, specifically due to the fact he was playing a more grounded character than many of the superheroes showcased in the MCU. He also appears to have genuinely meant what he said in 2018 rather than simply toeing the company line, as in the years since he left the DC series, he's continued to criticize Marvel movies.

Prior to his role on "Titans," Alan Ritchson played Arthur Curry/Aquaman on "Smallville" and portrayed Raphael in the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" reboot films of the 2010s (which Ritchson has spoken about hating). But Hank Hall/Hawk was different for the actor, who, during his New York Comic Con appearance, went on to explain his love for playing a "superhero without any superpowers."

The actor recalled shooting his first episode, in which he and director Brad Anderson discussed how Hawk would enter a fight from a catwalk above the melee:

"It was high. So he's like, 'You're up there, you're kind of crushing some beers, and then, you know, you tell Dove [Minka Kelly], 'Let's go do it' and you jump down and you get in the fight.' And I was like, 'Okay ... We've never had this conversation before, so ... do I fly? What are my superpowers? Am I super strong? I can handle a jump that size?'" 

According to the actor, it was at that moment that Anderson decided Hawk wouldn't have any superpowers, which seemed to please Ritchson:

"I was like, 'Okay! Alright! That informs a lot.' So from then on, I played the guy like he had no superpowers [...] I think that's really cool. Who else has explored that? So, to me, it's about the humanity."

Whether the actor really felt so passionate about depicting superheroes in a more grounded way or whether he was just feeling particularly anti-Marvel at the time isn't entirely clear. But his more recent comments about action heroes seeming invincible certainly back up his 2018 comments. What's more, the actor spoke to GQ in 2024 and was even more critical of Marvel movies, claiming they make him "yawn" and were an example of studios "regurgitating comic book stories that we've seen a thousand times." As such, I think it's fair to say that, as suited as Ritchson is to playing superheroes, we won't be seeing him show up in a Marvel film any time soon.