We reported a few months back that actor Peter Sarsgaard is playing the villainous Hector Hammond in DC/Warner Bros.’ upcoming adaptation of Green Lantern.
Despite several sneak peeks at the movie’s set and early looks at leading man Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan, we’ve had yet to see a single image of Sarsgaard as the deformed and deranged Hammond, leaving many fans wondering (and worrying) about how the character will translate onscreen.
Early this week, the first image of Sarsgaard as Hector Hammond leaked online over at Sky Showbiz. Despite the fact that this image is one of those “caught on the fly” candid pics where Sarsgaard isn’t even in full costume, we nonetheless get a pretty good look at the makeup job the award-winning Green Lantern f/x team has put together.
For those who don’t know, the most recent comic book origin of Hector Hammond, goes like this:
The alien Abin Sur crashes on Earth, delivering the emerald ring which transforms Hal Jordan into Green Lantern. Hal is working for Ferris Aircraft and pursuing the owner’s daughter Carol Ferris (played by Blake Lively).Hammond is a consultant at Ferris Aircraft who is also interested in Carol; when Abin Sur’s ship crashes on Earth, Hammond goes poking around the wreckage and is exposed to an alien meteorite that serves as the ship’s power core. The meteorite endows Hammond with super intellect and psychic abilities, but also leaves him totally paralyzed and disfigured. Using his new powers, Hammond deduces that Green Lantern is Hal Jordan, and the rivarly is born.
Now that you know all that, it should explain the image below, in which Sarsgaard sports a swollen cranium and some ugly features:
This is the sign of a truly top-notch makeup job: I couldn’t even tell that was Peter Sarsgaard under there. From this early image, Hector Hammond is getting a movie treatment he deserves, and with a talented guy like Sarsgaard in the role, I feel safe in proclaiming at this early stage that Green Lantern will have an interesting villain to battle.
One interesting thing to think about: Hector Hammond’s father, Senator Hammond, will be played in the film by Tim Robbins. I suppose there will be some sort of father/son falling out, and I can’t wait to see what kind of sparks fly between Sarsgaard and Robbins – especially when Sarsgaard embraces his eveil nature.
What do you guys think – is Peter Sarsgaard looking good as Hector Hammond (so to speak)? Do think the Sarsgaard will make for a compelling villain, or were you hoping for something more epic from this film?
Green Lantern will light up theaters on June 17, 2011.
