Alan Ritchson is fresh out of the woods and right into our gay little hearts.
On September 9, the Reacher star bared all (well, mostly) in a new ad for Dr. Squatch, promoting the brand’s “Manlandia” campaign with a wink, a smirk, and a truly deranged amount of shirtless lumberjack energy.
In the video, Ritchson descends a set of stairs with the casual confidence of a man who knows how good he looks. From there, it’s a fever dream of wood-chopping, treasure trail flashing, and bourbon-scented bicep flexing as he asks viewers, “Do you wish your man was made in Manlandia?” followed by a series of fantasy boyfriend prompts so shameless they might’ve been written by Gay Twitter.
And speaking of, Gay Twitter has not recovered.
One fan wrote, “I know he might rip my body in half till death, but don’t worry, I’ll be dying happily.”
The ad even had straight men in a tizzy, with one saying, “I love my wife, I love my wife, I love my wife, I love Alan Ritchson, I love my wife.”
Instagram.com/DrSquatch; Instagram.com/AlanRitchson
It’s not the first time Ritchson has gone viral for hot, hyper-masculine roles. His turn as Jack Reacher already proved the man can act and unbutton a shirt in slow motion, but this latest ad is pushing him firmly into gay icon territory. Not bad for a guy who used to play Aquaman on Smallville.
The thirst surge has also reignited fan calls for Ritchson to step into the Batsuit for James Gunn’s upcoming Batman flick, with some insisting this ad alone should land him the role. But the actor may have other plans.
Instagram.com/DrSquatch; Instagram.com/AlanRitchson
In a recent interview with Liam Loves Movies, Ritchson said that while he’s flattered by the Batman buzz, he doesn’t see Bruce Wayne in his future. Instead, he expressed his openness to playing something else, potentially taking on the role of Wildcat — a lesser-known but beloved DC character who’s already been hinted at in the new DCU.
It tracks. Ritchson may not want to be Batman, but in the eyes of half the internet, he already is: brooding, built, and bathed in wood barrel bourbon.
Instagram.com/DrSquatch; Instagram.com/AlanRitchson
And if you need us, we’ll be watching the ad again. For… research.
