SUMMARY

Alan Ritchson’s early appearance on Smallville sparked the development of an Aquaman spinoff that never materialized.
Ritchson was recast as Aquaman due to concerns about his recognition and experience level by UPN leadership.
Starring in the Aquaman pilot could have changed Ritchson’s career trajectory, but nevertheless his Hollywood career is now on the rise.

Over 15 years ago, Alan Ritchson seemed set to be an essential part of the DC Universe on television after his role on Smallville. Years before being cast in the Prime Video series Reacher as the titular hero, the actor appeared as Arthur Curry in an episode of Smallville.

With a superhero’s physique and a brusque charm, Ritchson has recently become a common fancast for the DCU Batman, among other charismatic, muscular heroes. Interviews with the star show him to be an amicable person along with an excellent performer, and it seems inevitable that he will play a notable superhero in a larger capacity.

Smallville was a big hit for The CW, and The WB before it, and featured excellent adaptations of many characters from DC mythology. Throughout the seasons, Aquaman,Green Arrow, Cyborg, Blue Beetle, and many other heroes appeared in the Superman prequel series.

It is notable, however, that despite some conversations, no other series spinoff went nearly as far into development as Aquaman. Ritchson was an important part of that program’s inception and development, even if it was never ultimately realized with the actor attached.

Why Alan Ritchson Was Recast As Aquaman For The Failed Smallville Spinoff

Unfortunately, Ritchson was not a notable enough performer at the time to have an entire series built around him. In an interview with fellow Smallville actor Michael Rosenbaum on his podcast Inside of You, Ritchson explained that the merging of UPN and The WB to create The CW had something to do with it.

When producers were trying to get the Aquaman pilot off the ground, they met some resistance from UPN leadership, with Ritchson recounting that they said, “Who the hell is that guy… He can’t have his own show.”

As a result, the producers decided to recast the actor for the Aquaman series, with the goal of finding someone who was more recognizable. Ritchson made it clear that he “wasn’t mad at all,” noting that he “hadn’t done anything at the time.” When it came down to it, the President of UPN didn’t think the actor was experienced enough to carry his own show. There was some back and forth, and Ritchson was replaced.

Justin Hartley took over the role, and the episode was shot, but the series was not picked up. The pilot was eventually released on iTunes. Following this, Hartley was given the role of Oliver Queen on Smallville, and there were even talks of spinning that character off into a television series that never materialized.

Despite good relationships and a well-liked appearance by Ritchson on the show, his time on Smallville did not lead to him playing the King of Atlantis in any larger capacity, and the DC character did not receive his own project until the Jason Momoa film Aquaman in 2018.

How Starring In The Aquaman Pilot Would’ve Changed Alan Ritchson’s Career

That such an early appearance in the actor’s career would be enough to spark the development of a spinoff is a significant harbinger of the kind of success that Ritchson would find much later in his career.

While Ritchson has certainly had work through the years, appearing in notable roles in Blue Mountain State and the Platinum Dunes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies, it is only recently that the actor has become a bonafide star.

If Ritchson had starred in the Aquaman pilot, it is likely that it never would have gone to series. These programs are the result of many people working very hard. Ritchson had some issues with the Smallville role, but even if cast in the series, he would not have been a major creative force in the project, and the exact same pilot would likely have been made.

Still, if it had somehow moved forward and been a success, the result at best would have been that Ritchson would have become the same beloved, well-known actor audiences are drawn to today, only a little bit sooner.

Despite the missed opportunity, Ritchson’s career in Hollywood is still on the rise. With roles in films like Fast X and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, and a successful Prime Video series, it’s clear that Ritchson’s star is now shining brightly.

While it’s worth considering if he should have received more attention after his Smallville appearance, it’s evident that things have worked out well for the Catching Fire star, and will likely continue on that path in the future.