‘Green Lantern’ Between Cooper, Reynolds, Timberlake

Published by Jeff Leins on: July 10th, 2009

Warner Bros is closing in on the announcement of who will star in The Green Lantern and the three choices are strange ones.  The clock is ticking on who will play comic book character Hal Jordan, an Air Force pilot who is chosen by a dying alien to be his successor in an intergalactic police force known as the Green Lanterns.

The Hollywood Reporter says it’s between Bradley Cooper (who has been rumored for the role for months), Ryan Reynolds (who is already lined up for his own superhero movie as Deadpool), and Justin Timberlake.  That’s right, it’s between two actors and a pop singer.

Timberlake?  Seriously?  At what point did he become an actor worthy of consideration?  I know people will defend Timberlake and say, “But what about those movies he’s done.”  Black Snake Moan, Alpha Dog, or Southland Tales?  I say to those people:  The Love Guru.

The other successful comic book franchises should show when the studios get real talent to play the heroes they do extremely well with audiences and critics.  Batman and Spider-Man are perfect examples.  To sink $150-200 million into a movie starring a still relatively untested singer/actor just seems ridiculous.

His contention for the role was rumored earlier today on AICN, but frankly (and no offense to their website) I thought it was too outrageous to call news.  THR confirms their report, writing all three have gone through two screen tests to help producer Donald De Line, director Martin Campbell, and the studio decide on who should wear the power ring.

Other actors considered for the part were Michael Fassbender, Henry Cavill and Jared Leto.

The studio has scheduled the movie for a July 17, 2011 opening and hopes to make a decision very soon.  Rumors have placed the start date for shooting in Australia as early as September, but that may have been pushed back when the release date was delayed.  The “holding deal” for the Reynolds, Cooper, and Timberlake expired Monday (July 6), which means they’re free to accept other offers that might conflict with WB’s plans.  I personally think it will go to Bradley Cooper.

MTV recently spoke with Green Lantern co-writer Marc Guggenheim who hinted about the possibility of Superman/Clark Kent making a cameo alongside Hal Jordan in the movie.  Since WB might lose control of Superman’s screen rights as early as 2013, a DC Comics crossover could finally happen sooner rather than later.