Reacher star Alan Ritchson flubbed one of the biggest Marvel roles

Although fans know him as the tactical hero on Reacher, Alan Ritchson came close to playing one of the biggest Marvel heroes yet – if he hadn’t made one crucial mistake.

Since playing Jack Reacher, Alan Ritchson has become a real hero of the small screen. Known as the brutish and tactical ex-military Police Officer, Ritchson managed to bring new life to the famous character with the Amazon Prime Video series.

He’s also appeared on other shows. With the likes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Black Mirror, and Blue Mountain State under his belt, Ritchson has become a major commodity in the TV world.

But while he’s dominated as the lead of the “Dad TV” series, he could have had a shot at a very different demographic: Marvel fans. That is, of course, if he hadn’t made one critical error.

Reacher star Alan Ritchson lost out on playing Thor

In an interview with Men’s Health, Ritchson revealed that he’d auditioned to play the role of Thor in the MCU, but had flubbed the audition by not trying hard enough.

“I didn’t take it seriously,” Ritchson said. “I was like, ‘They’ll throw me the part if I look like the guy; nobody really cares about acting.'”

Amazon Prime Video

Of course, this ended up being the wrong move entirely. After being told that he didn’t have “the craft” required for the role, the God of Thunder role ended up going to Chris Hemsworth. Naturally, Hemsworth became a staple of the ever-growing MCU.

The feedback obviously stuck with Ritchson, who quickly started sessions with an acting coach after the failed audition. He then joined an acting class run by Deborah Aquila, casting director of The Shawshank Redemption, and now Vice President of Casting at Paramount Television Studios.

The effort clearly worked. Since Thor was released in 2011, Ritchson has won roles in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Fast X, New Girl, Legends of Tomorrow, and of course, Reacher.