Casting Chris Pratt in James Gunn’s DCU: 3 Characters He’d Be Perfect For (That Aren’t Batman)

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While Gunn and Pratt iron out the details, it seems a fun exercise to come up with a few potential parts Pratt would make sense for. He has a specific acting style, after all, one that lends itself to less serious characters, which rules out figures like Batman. Here are three characters that Pratt would be perfect for in the DCU.

3) Booster Gold

There is a lot of speculation about Kumail Nanjiani being Gunn’s pick for Booster Gold, who has a TV show in development. The actor has been spotted at several DC red carpets, and he’s never shy about wearing his nerd heart on his sleeve. However, neither Nanjiani nor Gunn has confirmed anything, meaning, at the moment, the Booster Gold role is up for grabs.

What makes Pratt such a good fit for Booster Gold is that the character isn’t all that different from Star-Lord, whom the actor plays in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Michael Carter loves the spotlight and utilizes technology to gain a competitive edge. Since Booster Gold has yet to have any luck in live-action, appearing in only one episode of Legends of Tomorrow and having a very minor run on Smallville, casting Pratt would ensure that the character has enough eyes on him to give him a fair shot at the big time.

2) Green Arrow

Oliver Queen is in a weird place right now. Despite Arrow having a successful eight-season run on The CW, the show’s depiction of its titular hero was strange, to say the least. Green Arrow operated like the Arrowverse’s Batman, taking to the streets of Star City at night and building a network of heroes to help him out. Gunn said he doesn’t know what Green Arrow’s place is in the DCU yet, but the character’s surely not going to stay on the sidelines forever, especially if the plan is to fix his image.

Bringing Pratt into the fold as the Emerald Archer opens up a world of possibilities, as the actor knows how to embrace a character’s goofy side. As the MCU has proven, a hero with a bow and arrow facing off against interdimensional threats is inherently ridiculous, and it takes a specific kind of actor to make it work. Pratt’s past jobs prove he’s up for the task, so all he would need to do is learn how to use a bow.

1) Jonah Hex

Gunn is already working to right all of the wrongs in DCU’s past. Guy Gardner, John Stewart, and Hal Jordan are going to be working overtime to make sure the stink of 2011’s Green Lantern is gone. However, there’s another DC flop that deserves the same attention: Jonah Hex. Despite starring comic book movie legend Josh Brolin, the movie didn’t work for critics or fans, with many calling out its incoherent plot.

On paper, Hex doesn’t seem like a Pratt character, being a hardened bounty hunter who doesn’t care who he ticks off. That description sounds like what Star-Lord thinks of himself in the MCU, so it would be a chance for the Marvel character to get to live vicariously through his actor. Anyone who needs more convincing about the fit can check out Pratt’s work in The Magnificent Seven, where he plays Joshua Faraday, a man who doesn’t mind bending the rules now and again.

Which of these DC characters would you like to see Chris Pratt play in James Gunn’s franchise? Is there another character that you believe he would be a good fit for? Let us know in the comments below!