Earlier this year, Jason Momoa unexpectedly dropped out of Sony’s Helldivers adaptation. His departure did not sink the live-action project, though. The studio and director Justin Lin were continuing on with their quest to bring freedom to the universe. But obviously they had some pretty big shoes to fill without their former leading star. How would they do that? By finding another large man. Reacher‘s Alan Ritchson has signed on to star in Helldivers, which will now hit theaters in 2028.
Following previous reports he was in discussions to star in the film, Sony Pictures has announced Ritchson is officially set to help promote intergalactic democracy. The studio did not shares Ritchson’s exact role. But it’s hard to imagine he won’t be one of the film’s main characters.
This big—literally—casting news (which we first heard at IGN) also comes with a new release date. Helldivers was originally scheduled to debut in theaters on November 10, 2027. Instead it will premiere the following summer on June 9, 2028. That’s trading one premium theatrical release spot for another, which shows how much both Sony and PlayStation believe in the project. It certainly comes with a built-in audience based on the success of the two video games. Helldivers 2 has sold a whopping 12 million copies since it hit stores in 2024. The franchise follows elite soldiers (the titular Helldivers) trying to save Super Earth from invading aliens.
That’s exactly the type of premise that made Jason Momoa seem like such a natural fit for the film before he departed for what remains unknown reasons. But that’s also why Ritchson is a perfect replacement. Momoa left behind some very big shoes to fill. The easiest way to do that is by finding a man best known for being large.