DCU: 5 Characters Chris Pratt Could Be Playing

Highlights

Chris Pratt’s comedic charm and action-hero status make him a great candidate to play the snarky Green Arrow in the DC franchise.
Pratt’s natural charm can transform him into the likable Superman villain Manchester Black, testing Superman’s moral compass.
With Pratt’s unique sense of humor, he could easily pull off the wise mentor role of Jay Garrick in the DCU.

Most movie fans were first drawn to the actor Chris Pratt when he was cast as Star-Lord in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Directed by James Gunn, this movie showed a different side of the MCU that focused on more cosmic entities. However, this movie would have struggled to attract audiences if it wasn’t for Pratt’s great performance as the quirky and out of his depth human leader of the time. Now that James Gunn is one of the heads of the new DCU franchise, many fans expected him to cast Chris Pratt in a role in this new universe.

It seems that these fans have had their wishes granted, as a recent interview with Chris Pratt revealed that he will 100% be appearing in the upcoming DC franchise. But, which character will Chris Pratt be playing?

5 Green Arrow

A Snarky Personality That Pratt Has Experience With

Formerly Played By: Justin Hartley (Smallville), Stephen Amell (Arrow)

As of writing, there has not yet been an announcement made to confirm that a Green Arrow project is in the works for the DCU. However, this street-level vigilante is so ingrained in the DC Universe that he could easily pop up in any upcoming project.

Most fans will probably recognize this figure from his successful stint as the title character of the CW’s Arrow. In this eight-season show, Green Arrow/ Oliver Queen was played brilliantly by Stephen Amell, yet the writers of this show depicted a more serious version of the character that was closer in tone to Batman. Green Arrow in the comics is a snarky and sarcastic hero, one with a great sense of humor. If James Gunn wanted to bring this version of Oliver Queen into the DCU, Chris Pratt would be a great choice due to his past comedic roles and the action-hero status that he has earned by appearing in films like Jurassic World and The Tomorrow War.

4 Manchester Black

A Likable Superman Villain That Pratt Could Make Even More Charming

Formerly Played By: David Ajala (Supergirl)

So far, audiences are pretty used to seeing Chris Pratt play comedic or heroic roles on the big screen. His natural charm makes it difficult for people to see him as anything but a good guy. However, there is one villain in DC that requires the same level of charm from an actor, and that is Manchester Black.

Manchester Black is a Superman villain with the power of telekinesis. He is often seen leading a group of antiheroes, known as The Elite, but his ruthless approach to crime fighting often puts him at odds with the last son of Krypton. As a result, Manchester Black is everything that Superman isn’t. He uses his British charm to coerce those around him into following his orders, and he is impossible to dislike. It is only his gift for violence that sees him leaning on the villain side of the spectrum. With Superman leading the charge for the superheroes of the DCU, it would be great to see his moral compass tested against someone like Chris Pratt as the smooth-talking Manchester Black.

3 Jay Garrick/The Flash

The Original Flash Who Pratt Could Play As A Mentor

Formerly Played By: John Wesley Shipp (The Flash, Stargirl)

The Flash is a character from DC Comics who has a long and complicated legacy. A lot of comic book readers will know of the second and third humans to take on the mantle of the fastest man alive, Barry Allen and Wally West, respectively. Though Flash is a silver age character who originally went by the name of Jay Garrick.

Sporting a flat-rimmed helmet, Jay Garrick does not appear much as the original Flash anymore. However, when he does, he often acts as more of a mentor to the younger versions of the superhero. As a result, Chris Pratt could be the perfect person to fill this mentor role. Plus, his unique sense of humor could see him pulling off the old costume in a funny yet charming way.

2 John Constantine

Makes Use Of Dry Wit, Something That Pratt Is More Than Familiar With

Formerly Played By: Keanu Reeves (Constantine 2005), Matt Ryan (Constantine 2014-2015, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow)

John Constantine is a DC character who has had an odd history in live-action. He was first portrayed in a movie by Keanu Reeves, but this character was played as more of a generic action hero who fought demons. He was then given his own CW show where he was played in a more comic-accurate way by Matt Ryan. Sadly, this snarky demon hunter did not fare well on TV, and so, his character was spun off into DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.

Constantine is a DC character with the exact same magical powers as Doctor Strange, only he is more grounded and takes on his foes with a dry wit. As a result, Chris Pratt could be the perfect actor to bring this character to life in the DCU. He looks the part, and modern audiences are more willing to embrace the supernatural elements of superheroes now that the MCU is so huge. Plus, the first chapter of the DCU is titled “Gods and Monsters.” Who better to show up than the DC hero who hunts monsters?

1 Booster Gold

A DC Character Who Can Easily Be Compared To Pratt’s Star-Lord

Formerly Played By: Eric Martstolf (Smallville), Donald Faison (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow)

James Gunn has already made waves by announcing many of the movies and TV shows that will be featured as part of DCU’s chapter one, Gods and Monsters. One of the upcoming TV shows that got people talking in excited tones was the announcement of a Booster Gold and Blue Beetle show. For those who do not know, Booster Gold is a man from the future who uses his advanced technology to fight crime and pose as a powerful superhero. Little do people of the DC universe know that Booster Gold is nothing more than a glory-seeking fraud.

Such a comical character would require an actor who can make audiences care about Booster Gold in a serious way. Chris Pratt has already achieved this by playing the lovable loser, Star-Lord, in the MCU, so it isn’t hard to imagine him doing so again by playing Booster Gold in the DCU. Some might even go so far as to say that this would be a perfect casting choice.