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Reacher’s Alan Ritchson Blew a Golden Opportunity to Join the MCU

Reacher’s Alan Ritchson Blew a Golden Opportunity to Join the MCU
Image credit: Amazon Prime Video, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The actor was the frontrunner to play Thor, but he didn't take the audition seriously and failed to impress anyone.

Summary:

  • With the role of Jack Reacher, Alan Ritchson's acting career received a massive boost
  • However, the actor could have become part of the MCU back in 2011, as he was the prime candidate to portray Thor
  • Unfortunately, he shamelessly blew the opportunity by not taking the audition seriously

Although Alan Ritchson began his acting career quite some time ago, appearing on the big and small screen since the mid-2000s, the role of Jack Reacher in the Reacher TV series can definitely be considered his greatest achievement to date.

Based on a series of novels by Lee Child, the show debuted in 2022 and became an unexpected success, resulting in it being renewed for two more seasons, with season 3 currently in production.

However, during his recent interview with Men's Health, the actor revealed that he could have portrayed one of the original members of The Avengers in the MCU if only he had taken the audition a bit more seriously.

The Actor Was One Step Away From Playing Thor

Reacher’s Alan Ritchson Blew a Golden Opportunity to Join the MCU - image 1

According to Ritchson, he was among the candidates for the role of Thor in the 2011 film of the same name, which introduced the character to the cinematic universe.

At the time, he already had some experience playing superheroes, having portrayed Aquaman several times in the TV series Smallville, although his screen time in the show was quite short.

The actor thought that just looking like the character would be enough, and he didn't expect the role of the Marvel superhero to require any significant acting skills.

Ritchson’s Carelessness Cost Him the Opportunity

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As it turned out, he was sorely mistaken, as Ritchson shamelessly blew the audition, failing to impress anyone and losing the chance to become part of a massively successful movie franchise.

To add insult to injury, the casting team told his representatives that he was the prime candidate to portray the Norse god, but his performance was apparently so disappointing that it cost him this golden opportunity that would have changed his entire life.

Fans point out that it's quite understandable why the actor felt that way, since MCU movies, especially those about Thor, don't exactly leave the impression of Shakespearean dramas that require brilliant acting.

Still, even though Chris Hemsworth nailed the character perfectly, they believe Ritchson would have made a great Thor if only he hadn't been so careless with the audition.

Either way, the actor finally got a chance to shine, as he has definitely improved his acting skills, judging by his great performance as Jack Reacher.

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No official release date for Reacher season 3 has been announced yet.

Do you think Alan Ritchson would have been great as Thor?

Sources: Men's Health, Reddit