The Green Lantern cast...

[livid]

Warner Bros. Pictures has hired X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Proposal star Ryan Reynolds to play the title role in the anticipated Green Lantern, scheduled for a June 17, 2011 release.

Based on the DC Comics hero, the action-adventure will be directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale, GoldenEye) and produced by Donald De Line and Greg Berlanti. Berlanti wrote the script with Marc Guggenheim and Michael Green.

The Hollywood trades say that Reynolds and his camp entered negotiations for the part Friday, after the studio held two rounds of screen tests, along with actors Bradley Cooper and Jared Leto. Justin Timberlake also did a screen test. The studio had holding options on the actors, but, except for Reynolds, those expired Monday. Reynolds' option would have expired end of day Friday.

Production is expected to begin in January.

The "Green Lantern" was created in 1940 by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell. Introduced in 1959, Hal Jordan is a second-generation test pilot, an ordinary man who was given the power ring and battery (lantern) by a dying alien named Abin Sur. When Abin Sur's spaceship crashed on Earth, the alien used his ring to seek out an individual to take his place as Green Lantern: someone who was "utterly honest and born without fear."

Reynolds will be the only actor to have played heroes for both Marvel and DC. He recently starred in Fox's "Wolverine," in which he played Wade Wilson/Deadpool. The character is now being developed for a spin-off to which Reynolds is attached. He also played Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity.

The actor will next star in Buried, a dark indie drama that will begin filming shortly in Barcelona with Spanish director Rodrigo Cortes. Reynolds will play a civilian contractor who is kidnapped in Iraq and awakes in a coffin, struggling against time to coordinate a rescue even though he doesn't know where he's buried in the desert.

Source

Interesting that he'll be doing both a DC and Marvel superhero. Not a bad casting, especially considering Timberlake was almost cast and while he's an ok actor, he definitely doesn't strike me as a superhero. Though Bradley Cooper would've been nice.

Thoughts?

Edited July 11, 2009 by Livid Soprano

[GoGo Yubari]

That's... interesting. I dunno if I'm on board with this yet (though I'm 1000% behind Reynolds as Deadpool given the fact that the dude really knows his Wade Wilson), but at the very least it's a much better choice than Jared Leto or Justin Timberlake.

[Gabriel]

I was really pulling for Bradley Cooper to get the role. I love Reynolds, but the guy's plate is full... by the time he gets through everything he's already commited to, he'll be dead tired.

At least this will keep him in superhero shape though.

[Hellfire]

I know nothing about The Green Lantern but I like Ryan Reynolds, so I'm glad to see him get more roles. Superhero moves have been real good recently so I hope that this will be able to stand up with the rest of them.

[Gabriel]

I know nothing about The Green Lantern but I like Ryan Reynolds, so I'm glad to see him get more roles. Superhero moves have been real good recently so I hope that this will be able to stand up with the rest of them.

I didn't know anything about Lantern until recently either. I started reading from the newest volume (I believe), where Hal Jordan returns from the dead to take up the mantel again and try to rebuild Coast City.

For what it's worth, it's definitely not the worst thing I'm reading right now. I haven't been hooked by anything yet, but I'm only like eight issues in and am unfamiliar with the entire world of DC.

From what I can tell though, Hal Jordan isn't exactly Mr. Funny Man, and I'm not sure how they're going to handle that here. Like I said, I love Ryan Reynolds, but his bread and butter is his comic timing and hilarious mannerisms... so is this the big mainstream project where he puts that aside and relies solely on his unproven serious acting ability? I mean, even in films where he plays a more serious character, his own personality still gets a chance to shine through... but here, I'm not sure... that's why I would have rather had Bradley Cooper, who I've seen do well in very serious roles, and from what I hear, did tremendously well in a balls to the wall comedy.

The danger here, for me, is that if Reynolds portrays Hal Jordan in a lighter tone, tossing out one-liners and such, we may still very well get a tremendous film... but it will be incredibly hard for a lot of people to differentiate between The Green Lantern, Deadpool and Hannibal King characters. King was essentially Wade Wilson with a different name and no powers... and now he gets the chance to actually do a Pool movie... so I really hope he keeps a straight face and plays the role of Hal Jordan like I've seen it in the books. Not just for the sake of properly transferring the book to film... but also for the sake of the future Deadpool movie.

[Tate]

Reynolds played a more darker/serious tone in Amityville Horror remake. Perhaps if he played GL to that degree he could pull it off?

[Maxx]

So, gonna be a little longer till we get that Deadpool movie now, eh?

[Gabriel]

So, gonna be a little longer till we get that Deadpool movie now, eh?

Lantern is supposed to start filming in January, I believe... or maybe that's his other one, about him in the coffin... I can't remember. Anyways... they're still in the developmental stages with Deadpool... it's not written yet... I assume that he would be able to start filming on Deadpool as soon as they are ready for him.

[MGW]

So, gonna be a little longer till we get that Deadpool movie now, eh?

Lantern is supposed to start filming in January, I believe... or maybe that's his other one, about him in the coffin... I can't remember. Anyways... they're still in the developmental stages with Deadpool... it's not written yet... I assume that he would be able to start filming on Deadpool as soon as they are ready for him.

I would think Warner would include clauses to prevent him from portraying another Super-hero whilst he's contracted to play GL, to protect the brand so to speak.

Not the worst casting ever, was really hoping they'd get Joquin Phoenix to play Hal, but Renolds isn;t a bad choice, better than Timberlake. Now don;t screw this up, I've been waiting for this film for years

[Gabriel]

I really don't think Reynolds would have taken the role if it would interfere at all with his Deadpool movie. Note, I said his. A Deadpool movie is as much his, as it is the studio's. He's been campaigning for this for years.

[TGC]

I have read several places today, including on AICN, that the Deadpool movie is on indefinite hold.

[DMN in the House]

Who says he has to play Jordan? That's the great thing about GL, it doesn't have to be one specific person, there's a whole fucking corps. Of course, he's got the perfect personality, but the completely wrong look, for my favorite GL (Guy Gardner!), but whatever.

[TGC]

Who says he has to play Jordan? That's the great thing about GL, it doesn't have to be one specific person, there's a whole fucking corps. Of course, he's got the perfect personality, but the completely wrong look, for my favorite GL (Guy Gardner!), but whatever.

While I would prefer a movie featuring Kyle Raynor or Guy, the fact tht they want to market the movie and cash in on the comics as well when the film is released makes it a given pretty much that Hal will be the feature character. That and Marc Guggenheim spoke about working on the script and the fact that it will feature Hal.

[Reddaye]

He's a bit of an odd choice to play Hal Jordan honestly. I'd picture RR as more of a Kyle Raynor type myself.

Not awful news though. I'm looking forward to the movie.

[Johnny Latino Heat]

Bump, but meh.

Green Lantern's first picture in costume revealed.

I like it.

[TGC]

I've seen plenty of people freaking out about the fact that the mask looks too small for his face and the costume is CGI rendered. From that picture, I do dig it though. He looks fine.

[apsham]

Looks oddly like Ben Stiller in there to me.

[Colly]

Or like someone coloured Ben Affleck in Daredevil green? I'm probably being harsh but thats the vibe I get from that picture.

[Ace]

Reynolds looks awesome there.

And The New Buffy?

[TKz]

Reynolds looks awesome there.

And The New Buffy?

It's a film remake that has nothing to do with Joss Whedon or any of the original cast.