The cast of Warner Bros.’ cinematic Justice League is almost complete. The final step for the studio is to find their next Green Lantern. Though updates about the character have been few and far between ever since WB unveiled their plans for the DCMU last year, things seem to be picking up now. Recently, we heard that a possible plan for the Green Lantern reboot (due in June 2020) would star multiple human Lanterns, meaning Hal Jordan would share the spotlight with someone like John Stewart or Guy Gardner.
While that’s an exciting prospect for fans to consider, we still have no idea which actors will be taking the Lantern oath in the coming years. As we count down the days to WB’s highly anticipated San Diego Comic-Con Hall H panel, one would expect the rumor mill to be out in full effect with potential casting choices. As it turns out, an old friend thought to be out of the running is seemingly back in contention.
Latino Review is reporting that Chris Pine, who at one point was thought to be playing Hal Jordan, is the top choice to play that member of the Lantern Corps. You may recall that the actor was circling the role of Steve Trevor for the solo Wonder Woman film, but LR asserts that was merely a smokescreen as Captain James Kirk inches closer to wearing the ring of power.
Obviously, readers should take this bit of information with a major dose of salt, but should this turn out to be truth, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Pine certainly has the charm and charisma that is necessary to bring Hal Jordan to life, and though some traits may be too close to his Star Trek character, there’s enough difference between the two for Pine’s take on Jordan to be its own creation and not a retread of a past performance. It may read like the “safe” choice (see: Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange), but sometimes the safe route is the best route, especially with a property that already failed with the masses once.
There’s also the issue of who will be the first thespian to play a live-action version of John Stewart. Names like Common (who now has a role in Suicide Squad) and Tyrese Gibson have been associated with the part in the past, but nothing got past the rumor stage. And at this point in time, we’d have to say both are unlikely to take on the role. Gibson, of course, is part of the Fast & Furious ensemble, and that franchise is still going strong (with a new sequel due in 2017) after Furious 7 made over $1 billion this year. For now, the role looks to be up in the air. Insert Idris Elba fantasy casting post here.
While these latest developments may be a tad frustrating for fans eager for information, the good news is that clarity may only a couple of weeks away. With the studio expected to bring out the big guns in Hall H this year, it stands reason to believe WB will use this venue to announce their Green Lantern castings. Even though the “solo” movie isn’t due for another five years, the character(s) will probably factor into the Justice League films (the first of which comes out in 2017), so time is of the essence in getting an actor locked down in a long-term deal so the ship can continue to run smoothly. Regardless of who WB picks, longtime Lantern fans will appreciate having something new to look forward to.
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Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice opens in theaters on March 25, 2016, followed by Suicide Squad on August 5, 2016; Wonder Woman on June 23, 2017; Justice League Part One on November 17, 2017; The Flash on March 23, 2018; Aquaman on July 27, 2018; Shazam on April 5, 2019; Justice League Part Two on June 14, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern on June 19, 2020.
