Josh Brolin was making the rounds a few weeks ago because it was said that he was being eyed for the role of an older Green Lantern Hal Jordan, and though he ultimately passed, other actors like Chris Pine and Timothy Olyphant were said to be eyed for the role.
With Kyle Chandler ultimately landing the part, reports are going around that the series was actually having a hard time getting someone to say yes to being one of DC’s most iconic figures.
Green Lantern Has Baggage
In a recent report from The InSneider (via @JeremyJLop), it was said that multiple actors have been passing on the chance to play Hal Jordan since they ‘thought there was too much baggage around Green Lantern, including the failed movie starring Ryan Reynolds.’ The studio apparently approached five different movie stars who declined before they managed to nab Kyle Chandler, who is still a great actor, but nowhere near as famous as the likes of rumored Hal Jordans like Brolin or Pine.
It Doesn’t Help that Ryan Reynolds Likes to Sh*t on GL
The negativity surrounding Green Lantern (2011) is embedded in pop culture, but a lot of fans seem to think that Ryan Reynolds himself also isn’t helping with the rep of the film. Though it’s alright to be self-deprecating once in a while, Reynolds constantly bashes the movie in other movies and interviews, making jabs in the first Deadpool and having DP kill a Ryan Reynolds variant who just agreed to star in Green Lantern.
Does Green Lantern Have Redeeming Qualities?
Looking back, Green Lantern definitely isn’t the new kind of superhero movie that Iron Man managed to deliver, but it still had some great scenes. Temuera Morrison’s short run as Abin Sur was nothing short of iconic, and Mark Strong’s Sinestro is still remembered fondly by fans despite him playing multiple DC villains now in Shazam! and The Penguin.
And though Reynolds may be the face of this dud of a film, the scene where he does the Green Lantern oath can still send nerd chills down the spine.
How Will Lanterns Be Different?
For now, it seems that they’re embracing the ‘space cop’ element of Green Lantern by having a buddy-cop dynamic between seasoned Lantern Hal Jordan and hotshot rookie John Stewart. With Jordan's casting out of the way, the search for his partner is now ongoing.
No official shortlist has been released, but numerous names have been popping up online including Damon Idris.
Rebel Ridge actor Aaron Pierre is also another fan-favorite for John Stewart, but so far, there haven’t been any updates on him landing the part.
It’s also worth noting that the show wanting to cast an A-list actor for the part of Hal could mean that they plan to kill him off by the end of the season, but maybe with Chandler, there could be a chance that he would stick around longer.
No release date has been set for Lanterns, but hopefully, the series will be ready to premiere in 2026.
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