Warner Bros. is starting to ramp up work on their anticipated (but still quite mysterious) Green Lantern Corps, and evidently, the studio already has quite the impressive shortlist for the role of Hal Jordan.
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According to The Wrap, that shortlist includes actors like Tom Cruise, Joel McHale, Bradley Cooper, Armie Hammer, and Jake Gyllenhaal for the coveted role. Oh, and Ryan Reynolds, who played the role in Warner Bros. previous rendition of Green Lantern.
No casting decisions have yet been made of course, and the studio hasn’t even discussed the role of Jordan with the actors yet. Still, it gives a good idea of what they’re going for. The most surprising addition here is Reynolds, which goes to show you just how much of a homerun Deadpool was. His stock is at an all-time high, and having him be a part of the cast would assure a built-in audience. That said, it doesn’t mean he’s the best choice for the part.
Part of the first film’s failure was the focus on comedy and quips, something that isn’t part of what makes Hal Jordan such an iconic character. Sure he has wit, but it’s not the focus of the character. If McHale was cast in the role, it might suffer from the same issues.
Cooper actually auditioned for the role of Jordan in the previous film, though it is important to note that he is currently on the Marvel side of things these days as the voice of Rocket Racoon in Guardians of the Galaxy. As for Gyllenhaal, he’s a big fan of the genre and has defended superhero movies to those who view them as beneath other motion pictures. Tom Cruise’s interest stems from his never actually playing a superhero before, and he’s proven he has the action chops thanks to his Mission Impossible series.
Odds are still favorable though that the role goes to Armie Hammer, who has been linked to the project for some time, though nothing has ever been confirmed. It will be interesting to see which direction the studio goes, but at least things on the project are finally moving forward.
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