Hero Worship: Who Should be the New Live-Action Green Lantern?
Time to call John Stewart into cinematic action.
by Joey EspositoJUNE 28, 2013
For all of June, with the end of the Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern run and the start of a new era of cosmic adventures for Hal Jordan and company, IGN Comics has been celebrating Green Lantern Month. Of course, this was kinda-sorta a big month for Superman as well, so I thought a good way to cap off Green Lantern Month was to wildly speculate about the (eventual, hopeful) return of Green Lantern in the new cinematic universe that Man of Steel has created.
Even though I personally think that there’s plenty of fun to be found in the 2011 Green Lantern movie (if not necessarily basic filmmaking or storytelling fundamentals), it’s probably a safe bet that all ties to that flick will be severed when it comes time to bring the character back. As such, I would propose leaving Hal Jordan behind altogether. I know, I know. I’m terrible.
Though in the comics Hal has been back in action as a Green Lantern for a decade now, the decade prior to that he was either a mass-murdering lunatic or serving as the spirit of vengeance, the Spectre. During that time, new Lantern Kyle Rayner stepped up and held down the fort as Green Lantern. And by fort, I mean the whole galaxy, since the Green Lantern Corps were, at the time, decimated.
Former Earth Lanterns John Stewart andGuy Gardner went on to pursue other roles in the DCU after the end of the Corps and Kyle was left more or less on his own until 2004. But that was in the comics. In the last few years of the Kyle Rayner era, it was another Lantern that was enjoying the spotlight in another, more mainstream, medium.
Though Kyle was indeed introduced as Earth’s Green Lantern in Superman: The Animated Series, it was John Stewart that was the Green Lantern present in 2001’s Justice League/Justice League Unlimited animated series. As a result of the animated JLA’s success, there is a generation of non-comic book reading but superhero-loving fans out there for whom John Stewart is their Lantern.
My formative years reading comics were the mid-1990s when Kyle was doing his thing, but even I’m partial to John just because of the animated series. Because of this mainstream familiarity – I guarantee the non-comics reading public are more likely to know about John than they are Kyle – John is the best route to go when considering an Earth Lantern for the new cinematic DC Universe.
I’ll admit part of my thinking here is just drooling over the thought of Idris Elba as John Stewart, but it also makes the most sense for the brand. The first live-action Green Lantern was unfortunately a disappointment, and it’s probable WB would like to distance themselves from that, especially after the financial success of Man of Steel. Even still, it’s unlikely we’d see another stand-alone Green Lantern movie until after the Justice League movie at the very least.
I know you want this too.
If you consider the average viewer of Justice League at the time it premiered in 2001 was 8-12 (I was 16, but you know, whatever), those kids are now enjoying the misery of their early 20s and are able to pay for their own movie tickets. Coincidentally, these folks also fall in one of the target Hollywood demographics: the 18-24s. If WB is going to build a Justice League universe as they claim, taking advantage of this demographic by using John Stewart to wipe the memories of the 2011 Green Lantern is the way to go.
I love all of the Green Lanterns for different reasons – and Kyle remains my Green Lantern -- but I think John is the clear choice to help distinguish the Green Lantern of the cinematic universe as something new, different, and hopefully, better.
Who do you guys want to see as the new live-action Green Lantern? Vote below!
Its because most casual fans who are on the IGN boards first and probably only knowledge of the Green Lantern came from the JL animated series. Im not entirely against John Stewart as GL for the movie but I would FAR prefer Hal Jordan.
John Stewart still has a positive image from the Justice League cartoon, which will live on for a while which trumps anything in the comics to the broader audience. Also Hal Jordan has the Super Friends pulling him down. Not to mention the God Awful Green Lantern movie. Seriously to the average movie goer its like they stole Maverick from Top Gun, but instead of getting an A lister like Hal Jordan they got a B-lister in Ryan Reynolds than went with a SyFy original movie plot and misused CGI.
I'll just ignore how annoying Hal Jordan was in the first 12 issues of the current Justice League run, but you get the drift.
That being said the studio is still most likely going ahead with Hal Jordan. I don't think we;ve seen any indications they are switching Green Lanterns
Maybe they'll kill off Hal in the first Justice League movie and John can replace him in the next. I doubt they'd switch Green Lanterns so soon though. Regardless of how bad the movie was.
IMy thoughts are much the same as the OP's, Kyle is my favourite Green Lantern as he was the one with the mantel when I started reading but Hal and John share the number two spot in my list and TBH if they are going to fit a Green Lantern in to the Man of Steel world John just fits better, I honestly think Hal would stick out like a sore thumb.
@jonny_anonymous: Yeah, especially since the military was distrustful of Superman (at first) in MOS, and I think that's going to be a major theme throughout the first phase of the DCCU. I think it would be an excellent plot if John is currently one of the few military men who still don't trust meta humans like Superman and Wonder Woman, and now that he has a GL ring he has to cope with being one of them (in a sense).
Please. It doesn't matter what anyone on the internet thinks or what the perception of Hal is. WB's going to pick him as the movie GL no matter what.
Yeah this too. Plus I want an actual well done interpretation of Hal rather than Reynolds' butchery of Hal Jordan. John is the next best candidate but Hal deserves to be the founding GL.
@sinestro_gl: not if they showed Hal dying trying to fight *insert big badguy* and the ring choosing someone new
Whats confusing? Earth has TWO Green Lanterns stationed at a time. EVERY space sector protected by the Green Lantern Corps has a two Lanterns as a matter of fact :p
So what would be confusing about introducing another Lantern? Why would Hal have to die?
@blkson: I think a better solution is show Hal being busy fighting [insert villain here] in space, and therefore his hands are too full at the moment to be on earth by the time the eventual founders of the Justice League are forced to team up to stop [insert bad guy here] from threatning humanity. Cue the guardians sending John Stewart a ring and therefore becoming a member of the JL.
@black_claw: that sounds cool but I don't see why Hal would have to "die", as someone suggested, when one of the concepts of the Corps is that there are two designated officers to each sector. Putting Hal in a danger situation sounds cool though. That idea could work.
Also, there's no need to reference Hal if you use John. Look at the Justice League cartoon. He was just a badass human who was respected in the corps. That's all you need to know. There is no way they are even going to keep the Reynolds film in continuity anyway. I mean, they never reference the other Hulks in the Hulk movies, right? And Bond changes all the time. Just forget about Hal Jordan.
John Stewart still has a positive image from the Justice League cartoon, which will live on for a while which trumps anything in the comics to the broader audience. Also Hal Jordan has the Super Friends pulling him down. Not to mention the God Awful Green Lantern movie. Seriously to the average movie goer its like they stole Maverick from Top Gun, but instead of getting an A lister like Hal Jordan they got a B-lister in Ryan Reynolds than went with a SyFy original movie plot and misused CGI.
I'll just ignore how annoying Hal Jordan was in the first 12 issues of the current Justice League run, but you get the drift.
That being said the studio is still most likely going ahead with Hal Jordan. I don't think we;ve seen any indications they are switching Green Lanterns
Superfriend only pulled Aquaman down. its a well known and beloved cartoon thats still referenced in media over 20 years later. ill give you the rest though.
Also, there's no need to reference Hal if you use John. Look at the Justice League cartoon. He was just a badass human who was respected in the corps. That's all you need to know. There is no way they are even going to keep the Reynolds film in continuity anyway. I mean, they never reference the other Hulks in the Hulk movies, right? And Bond changes all the time. Just forget about Hal Jordan.
its true that they dont have to. but im sure that Hal Jordan fans would definitely appreciate it. It was a lot easier several ears ago when DC was doing everything they could to destroy the character and remove him from everyone memories. but it might not be as easy this time around. im not saying they couldn't do it im just saying it would kinda suck if they didn't.
an im pretty sure you can't compare the Hulks to the GL's most of them are very recent creations, haven't been in a movie and haven't really gained any fanbase. Hal has a large fanbase,starred in a well liked cartoon series, had a movie, and has been a central character in the GL mythos since his creation back in the 50's. i dont think a little nod would hurt the poor Jon Stewart fans that damn much.
@avenging_x_bolt: What? when the hell did DC try to erase Hal Jordan?
Hal has a large fanbase,starred in a well liked cartoon series, had a movie, and has been a central character in the GL mythos since his creation back in the 50's.
Hal has all of that and John is still more popular than him lol.
@avenging_x_bolt: What? when the hell did DC try to erase Hal Jordan?
Hal has a large fanbase,starred in a well liked cartoon series, had a movie, and has been a central character in the GL mythos since his creation back in the 50's.
Hal has all of that and John is still more popular than him lol.
@avenging_x_bolt: What? when the hell did DC try to erase Hal Jordan?
not literally. i just mean edge him out. people claim that John is getting it bad today and i say f^%k that. when DC turns him into a murdering psycho then they can come bitch to me.
Hal has a large fanbase,starred in a well liked cartoon series, had a movie, and has been a central character in the GL mythos since his creation back in the 50's.
Hal has all of that and John is still more popular than him lol.
Being that everybody's so obsessed with being "politically correct" (even though most of the time they still come off as offensive, regardless of the intentions), I would much rather have Stewart instead of Hal than the bland, out of place and extremely forced character that is Cyborg. Still, I still want the original 7 to be in the film, and if they're so pressured with being diverse I would prefer another female to the team than a non-white male, because regardless of their race, it's still a man, with another woman there are more story opportunities.
That's just me though, producers simply don't give a crap and will most likely remain the headset of being diverse just for the sake of diversity, without really giving it any thought beyond the "if we represent another demographic we'll get more money!" mentality.
Why does it have to be one or the other? They could introduce John at the start of GL2. Have a buddy space cop like movie. How much screen time do you think a new gl will get in the justice league movie if they have introduce a new batman, Wonder Woman,flash and maybe aquaman or cyborg. Plus the bad guy. Nothing slows down a superhero movie like too much backstory.
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