×
Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.

The Brutal Way Jiu Jitsu's Alain Moussi Would Play This Villain In The DCEU - Exclusive

Many of them would play it coy when asked for fear of messing up future opportunities, but it's a safe bet that just about every actor in Hollywood has a vision in their mind as to which comic book superhero they'd want to play on the big screen. The superhero genre, after all, has come to be a dominant force in the movie landscape, and has set the stage for stardom and award-winning turns from the likes of Gal Gadot, Joaquin Phoenix, Robert Downey Jr., and the late, great Chadwick Boseman. Plus, many of those working in moviedom these days grew up in an era of greater acceptance for the world of spandex and superpowers, most likely dreaming early on of taking up the mantle of this character or that.

Still, some get more specific with it than others, often out of necessity. As more and more projects are greenlit, the number of available iconic roles continues to dwindle, leaving the aspiring cinematic super-person with fewer choices. Fortunately for Alain Moussi, the stunt performer-turned-actor who headlines the recent sci-fi action flick Jiu Jitsu, his particular poison remains unclaimed. It would also position him as a key player in one of the biggest comic franchises of all, so that's a nice bonus.

Who is this mysterious personage, and how would Moussi make them his own? We got the low-down during a recent conversation about Jiu Jitsu.

Alain Moussi wants to get under the (Red) Hood

According to Moussi, he has his sights set on one of the most intriguing characters in the Batman mythos: The Red Hood. "There's a character they haven't done anything with yet that I would love to get a shot at if ever it does happen," he enthuses. "It's the Red Hood. I think that's a really cool character. What's cool about that is he's such a physical character, but it's not a delicate, physical character. He's a rough physical character, which I like because obviously it's Robin who became the Red Hood. I think it'd be a very cool character to play."

That physicality is both what draws Moussi to the Red Hood and makes him feel he'd be a good fit for the role. "I think it's a good combination of action and acting," says the actor, who has a long stunt résumé but who has recently transitioned into billed performances. "Personally, when I do fights, I really like fights that feel real. I feel like for the Red Hood, it would be this thing where he comes in and doesn't do choreography. He just beats people up. It would be a really cool approach. It would translate to really cool fights and cool action, and also a very complex character, a very complex character. I think it'd be a fun one to play. Hopefully somebody reads about it, and they say, 'Hey, that might be a good idea.'"

Boy (Wonder) in the hood

For the uninitiated, the Red Hood has a long history in the world of DC Comics. Originally, the name was used by the master criminal who would go on to become Batman's arch-nemesis and one of the most iconic villains in comic-dom, the Joker. That version of the Red Hood first appeared in 1951's Detective Comics #168, and was later famously retconned by legendary writer Alan Moore in the widely-hailed 1988 arc The Killing Joke.

The version of the Red Hood to which Moussi is referring, however, comes from the mid-2000s arc Batman: Under the Hood, written by Judd Winnick. In it, former Robin Jason Todd, famously killed by the Joker in Batman: A Death in the Family, is resurrected in Ra's al Ghul's Lazarus pit and returns to Gotham as a vengeful, murderous vigilante known as the Red Hood. His one-man war against Black Mask's criminal empire chalks up a big body count, which eventually leads to him crossing paths and purposes with the Batman. This conflict would cement Red Hood's place in the canon and lead to several more appearances throughout the DC universe.

So, what do you think? Would Alain Moussi make a good Red Hood? If you want to see the actor's chops — and punches, and kicks — in action before making the call, you can check him out in Jiu Jitsu, currently available on VOD.