According to foreign media reports, Alan Ritchson, the muscle-bound actor who rose to fame starring in Amazon's hit series Reacher, is in talks to play the lead role in Sony's upcoming Helldivers movie. If negotiations succeed, Ritchson will take over the role from another hunk, Jason Momoa, who left the project this June.
The Helldivers movie was first announced in February, starring Jason Momoa and directed by Justin Lin, known for the Fast & Furious series. However, just a few months later, Momoa announced his departure without giving a reason. Given his star power, this was undoubtedly a blow.
But his departure also presents a massive opportunity for Ritchson. Since Reacher aired in 2022, Ritchson's popularity has skyrocketed. Ritchson has appeared in many films before—frankly, more than I imagined; I hadn't even heard of him before he started barging into towns and snapping villains in half like dry twigs—but according to The Hollywood Reporter, this will be his first time truly headlining a mainstream movie.
To be honest, I (from PC Gamer) have mixed feelings about this casting choice. I believe he can handle the role—he's built like a tank, has plenty of screen charisma, and action scenes are definitely his forte. But I can't help but think he might not quite fit the character. In my view, Helldivers is about ordinary, nameless people being thrown into the meat grinder of fascist imperialism, and Ritchson looks a bit too heroic (and too muscular) for that premise. I might be overthinking this movie, but in my opinion, there is only one true John Helldiver, and that's this guy:
Or at least, find someone who looks like him: a mild-mannered, compliant man with mediocre talent who suddenly realizes he's made a huge mistake. Can you imagine Alan Ritchson pulling off this role? I certainly can't.
The Helldivers movie is currently scheduled for release on November 10, 2027, but considering the lead actor hasn't been fully confirmed yet, we wouldn't be too surprised if the release date gets pushed back.