Warner Bros. is continuing to be very bullish about their plans for the DC Extended Universe. Despite the very mixed response to bothBatman V Superman: Dawn of JusticeandSuicide Squad, the studio is continuing to press ahead with their slate and even expand it, in some regards. They are officially moving ahead withGreen Lantern Corps.and it looks like the casting process is underway. Shockingly, it looks likeRyan Reynoldsis in the mix.
The Wraprecently published a report that claims to show the actors Warner Bros. and DC are looking at for the role of Hal Jordan inGreen Lantern Corps.The list is definitely interesting, as it includesBradley Cooper,Armie Hammer,Jake Gyllenhaal,Joel McHale,Tom Cruiseand yes,Ryan Reynolds. Not only isRyan Reynoldstied up withDeadpoolright now, but he played Hal Jordan in the 2011Green Lantern movie, which was a box office disaster, not to mention that fans and critics alike really didn’t like it, to say the least. So, it is fairly shocking to hear that he is on the shortlist. Here is what reporterUmberto Gonzalezsaid aboutRyan Reynoldsin his report.
The casting process is still in the very early stages, and there are no talks with any of the actors as of yet. DC is considering whether Reynolds, who played Jordan in the 2011 film Green Lantern should return to the role, an insider told The Wrap. His superhero stock soared last year when he starred in ‘Deadpool.'"
Warner Bros. recently hiredDavid S. Goyer(Man of Steel) andJustin Rhodes(Contract Killers) to write the script forGreen Lantern Corps., so it seems like the studio is very early on in the process. As the report notes, the studio hasn’t actually approached any of the actors soRyan Reynoldsis just a name that has come up, but it seems very unlikely. Still, it is very surprising to see his name on the list. There is virtually no chance his contract with Fox would allow for him to appear in the movie and he most certainly has a much more personal attachment toDeadpool, since he spent more than ten years trying to get the movie made and he even offered to bail onGreen Lanternif Fox wanted to make the movie at that time. So it is probably just Warner Bros. thinking they could maybe cash in on his good name now, but don’t bet on it happening.
As for the other names on the list, they make a lot of sense.Tom Cruiseis one of the biggest, bankable action stars on the planet but has never starred in a superhero movie. However, he is tied up with Universal’s monster movie universe which will kickoff withThe Mummythis year, not to mention theMission: Impossiblefranchise. Plus, he isn’t getting any younger (54), so he may be tough to get.Joel McHaleis probably the most outside the box name on the list, but sinceGreen Lantern Corps.has been described as “Lethal Weaponin space,” he could fit the Riggs-type role.Bradley Cooperactually auditioned for the 2011Green Lanternmovie before the part went toRyan Reynoldsand he has become a bigger star in the time since.Jake Gyllenhaalis a fan-favorite for the part of Hal Jordan, but perhaps the most logical choice isArmie Hammer. He has been trolling and teasing fans on social media recently, because he has been rumored for the part for a little while now. So if you were to bet, he might be the odds-on favorite right now.
There is no official release date set, though it was originally believed that the movie would land somewhere around 2020. The character is rumored to be making an appearance inJustice Leaguelater this year, so casting Hal Jordan may be a priority. It is also possible that the John Stewart version of Green Lantern could show up first, but there is no word on who the studio is looking at for that role just yet.Ryan Reynoldshas not been shy about his feelings onGreen Lanternand they are not at all positive. He even joked about it in the firstDeadpoolmovie, so the odds of him reprising the role are slim-to-none. That being the case, it looks like one of these other five guys may be putting on thePower Ringand doing some superhero stuff in space forGreen Lantern Corps.
