Helldivers film: Alan Ritchson may take over lead role after Jason Momoa exits
In brief
- Kotaku and The Hollywood Reporter say Alan Ritchson is being eyed for the Helldivers film after Jason Momoa reportedly left the project.
- Jason Momoa reportedly left the project after creative differences with director Justin Lin.
- The film is also being linked to a November 10, 2027 release date in the same reporting.
What happened
Kotaku reported, based on The Hollywood Reporter, that Alan Ritchson is in the running to replace Jason Momoa in the Helldivers film. In that reporting, Ritchson is not described as officially confirmed, but as the presumed replacement for the PlayStation franchise adaptation. The wording remains cautious, so this should be treated as a rumor or an unconfirmed casting update rather than a final announcement from Sony or the filmmakers.
According to the same source, Jason Momoa left the project after creative differences with director Justin Lin. That leaves Lin attached to the film, although the reporting does not make clear how far along production is at this stage. It is also not confirmed whether a new script draft exists yet, or whether the film is still in the same development phase as in earlier reports.
The available information also names Gary Dauberman as the writer of the first script draft. That detail matters because it shows that at least one early screenplay existed, but it says nothing about later rewrites or a final version. The reporting also suggests that Ritchson could be getting his first theatrical studio film as a lead, but that point has not been separately confirmed by a studio statement.
The film is also being tied to a release date of November 10, 2027. That is the date currently circulating in the reporting, but there is no additional confirmation that it is still the active target. Film projects can still shift, especially when casting and the script have not been publicly locked in.
Timeline
2026-09-18: Kotaku publishes reporting, based on The Hollywood Reporter, naming Alan Ritchson as a possible replacement for Jason Momoa in the Helldivers film.
2026-09-18: The same reporting says Jason Momoa left the project after creative differences with Justin Lin, who remains attached to the film.
2026-09-18: The film is linked in the reporting to a planned release date of November 10, 2027, but without separate confirmation that the date is final.
2026-09-18: Gary Dauberman is named as the writer of the first script draft, while it remains unclear whether a revised version exists.
2026-09-18: The reporting describes Ritchson as the likely lead, but not as an officially cast actor.
Background
Helldivers is a Sony and PlayStation game franchise, and the film adaptation has been followed closely by gaming and movie media for some time. The current reporting is mainly focused on who will play the lead and how stable the production is. Because the source describes the casting as possible rather than confirmed, the project remains in development rather than finalized casting.
Justin Lin is still being linked to the film in the reporting, which suggests the director remains part of the project. At the same time, the exact impact of Momoa’s reported exit is not spelled out in the available information. No public statement from Sony, Lin, or Momoa is included in the source material, so the claim about creative differences should be read as reported background for now.
The script situation is also still unclear. Gary Dauberman is mentioned as the writer of the first version, but the sources do not say whether that draft has been rewritten, expanded, or approved for production. That leaves the status of the screenplay uncertain, as well as whether the film is in pre-production, casting, or an earlier development stage.
The reported November 10, 2027 release date gives the project a concrete time frame, but without studio confirmation it remains only a target from reporting. In practice, that means both the casting and the schedule could still change. The open questions remain the same: has Alan Ritchson actually been locked in, did Momoa really leave, and is November 10, 2027 still the goal?