Reacher star Alan Ritchson to replace Jason Momoa in upcoming sci-fi blockbuster

Alan Ritchson is said to be "in talks" to star in upcoming sci-fi blockbuster movie Helldivers, after it was reported that Jason Momoa had stepped away from the project.

Back in June, it was claimed that Momoa had exited the film and that Sony Pictures were searching for a new lead star.

Now, Deadline has claimed that Reacher actor Ritchson is considering a role in the movie, which is based on Arrowhead Game Studios’ video game franchise.

If Ritchson does secure a part, it is thought he will play one of the helldivers, with more roles to be announced soon.

Details of the film adaptation are being kept under wraps, with Helldivers expected to be released in cinemas on 10 November 2027.

The first video game, which debuted in 2015, follows the Helldivers, an elite unit who must work together to protect Super Earth while defeating the enemies of mankind in an intergalactic war.

Released in 2024, Helldivers 2 put players in the shoes of the galaxy's most elite soldiers, who use over-the-top weapons to gun down an alien scourge threatening their world.

Helldivers 2 became a huge live-service hit when it came out on PlayStation 5 and PC. It has gone on to sell more than 20 million copies and won numerous end-of-year awards.

It's unclear why Aquaman star Momoa stepped away from the upcoming film, but Ritchson is no stranger to playing an action-packed role and is best-known for portraying Jack Reacher in the hit Prime Video series Reacher.

With the fourth season having concluded earlier this month, fans are now looking ahead to season five, which was greenlit back in May.

It has been revealed that the fifth season will be based on Child's 2015 novel Make Me, which is the 20th entry in the author's series. It will follow Reacher as his train stops in the mysterious town of Mother's Rest, where he is soon thrust into action.

"Reacher's one-day stopover turns into an open-ended quest leading to the most hidden reaches of the internet, and right into the nightmare heart of darkness," reads the synopsis for the novel.

We don't have a premiere date for the fifth season yet, and the series hasn't been consistent with its release patterns. The first and third seasons premiered in February, while the second and fourth seasons came in December and September respectively.

Reacher seasons 1-4 stream on Prime Video.

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Kirsty is a freelance writer and editor specialising in all things entertainment. Over the past 16 years, she has worked on showbiz desks at various national newspaper websites in London, including Express.co.uk, The Sun, and MailOnline.

More recently, she spent three years living in New York City writing celebrity and lifestyle news for DailyMail.com, The Mirror US, and Daily Express US. Kirsty graduated from Southampton Solent with a BA in Magazine Journalism and Feature Writing. When she's not watching reruns of Sex and the City, you'll find her listening to David Bowie and daydreaming about an espresso martini.