The DCEU has been getting back on track over the last year, restoring its universe to how it was always intended to be. With recent hits like The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, it seems like the comic movie universe may finally catch up with their competitors at Marvel.
Now that the DCEU is growing at a manageable rate, many fans are calling for the introduction of the Green Lanterns into the universe, specifically Hal Jordan. Certain Redditors have spoken out on just who they would want to play the superhero when he returns to the big screen.
Reddit user KorugaranRattlesnake writes that they've "always thought that Bradley Cooper would be a good Hal [Jordan]." Bradley Cooper is best known for his appearances in American Sniper and the latest remake of A Star is Born, alongside Lady Gaga. He also voices one of the MCU's best animal sidekicks in Rocket Raccoon.
Cooper is a well-established actor with a large range of character types throughout his career. He would lend the prestige necessary to draw attention from non-comic movie fans, as well as appease the larger fan base of superhero fans that are already familiar with his work in the genre.
PhilAsp makes a strong statement in favor of Saturday Night Live alum Jason Sudeikis to fill the role of Hal Jordan, citing the comedian as "one of the great comedic actors of today," who "has also shown that he can do more than make jokes, and therefore he'd be a great fit as Hal Jordan."
As the Redditor points out in their full post, Sudeikis has achieved newfound notoriety as a result of his turn in Ted Lasso as the eponymous character. With audiences now better acquainted with both the actor's dramatic side as well as his comedic chops, he could stand to pull off a weighty performance as the Green Lantern.
Redditor AbsorbedSponge pitches an idea for the DCEU to portray the Green Lantern Corp as a "sci-fi crime thriller," with Hal Jordan as a "space cop." To fill the role of Hal Jordan, they suggest X-Men actor Michael Fassbender.
Fassbender was a well-liked part of the X-Men prequel series, despite the franchise's gaping plot holes at the time of his portrayal. His performance often grounded the franchise, adding a sense of Shakesperian tragedy to what was otherwise a rather foolhardy series. He could do likewise in helming a franchise as limitless as the Green Lanterns, keeping the characters rooted in reality.
Reddit user Some_Dude_424 has an outlandish casting choice made unlikely by recent years. "I wanted Chris Pine," they write in the midst of a discussion of potential Hal Jordan actors, "but I don't think that can happen now." The user refers to Chris Pine's role as Steve Trevor in 2017's Wonder Woman and its 2020 sequel, which would take place in the same universe as any Green Lantern reboot.
While Pine taking on the role of Hal Jordan seems unlikely given his previous work within the DCEU, it isn't completely impossible. Some have claimed that the manner of Steve Trevor's death in the first Wonder Woman film could lend to his resurrection as a Green Lantern, though separate from Jordan himself. Additionally, sprawling universes like the DCEU and MCU are not totally opposed to re-hiring actors for a second role therein, giving fans of Chris Pine new hope that he could return as Hal Jordan in the future.
PhilAsp suggests a rather outside-the-box choice for Hal Jordan in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Glenn Howerton. The Reddit user recognizes the oddity of their suggestion but refers to the actor's lesser-known roles, calling him "a solid and versatile actor with great comedic chops."
While Howerton might not be anyone's first thought when imagining a classic superhero, the fact remains, as the Reddit user points out, that the comedian was actually at one point in the running for Guardians of the Galaxy's Starlord, a role that eventually went to Chris Pratt. Starring as the Green Lantern could be Howerton's comeback after losing out on his first superhero audition.
"Matt Lanter as Hal Jordan would be sick!" writes Reddit user TheGuerillaAvenger. The actor, though far from an A-lister may be familiar to viewers from his role as Skyfox in Netflix's superhero drama Jupiter's Legacy, as well as the voice of Anakin Skywalker in the animated anthology series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Despite the failure of Jupiter's Legacy to make a name for itself in an overly-saturated genre, Lanter did prove to be one of the series' standouts, showing off his ability to portray a super-powered individual in a way that could make him perfect for the much bigger role of Hal Jordan.
KorugaranRattlesnake offers a few suggestions for possible actors to take on the role of Hal Jordan, including Ryan Gosling, who the Reddit user claims they would "be pretty happy with." The Hollywood A-List is best known for his roles in The Notebook, Bladerunner 2049, Drive, and La La Land.
Gosling is one of the Hollywood elite by just about any standard but has yet to take on a superhero role, despite their increasing popularity in cinema over the last decade. It seems like only a matter of time before the Canadian actor joins one of the major superhero cinematic universes, and could make for a perfect Green Lantern if given the opportunity.
Reddit user Cephelopodia chimes into the Hal Jordan casting discussion with a self-described "dissenting opinion," claiming that they believed "Ryan Reynolds did a great Hal," proceeding to state their wishes that his ill-fated Green Lantern film had spawned the franchise Warner Brothers had been hoping for in 2011.
Ryan Reynolds's Green Lantern is commonly ridiculed as one of the worst superhero films ever made, though the actor himself survived the backlash to the film, eventually starring in the hit Marvel franchise Deadpool. Though Reynolds has already redeemed himself in the superhero genre, perhaps he could yet return to take another shot at the Green Lantern.
PhilAsp admits that their casting choice of Joseph Gordon-Levitt for Hal Jordan is "unexpected," but call him "a proven actor" who can "handle his own blockbusters, comedy, and action." Gordon-Levitt is best known for his roles in films like Inception and Looper.
Despite already appearing in one of IMDb's highest-rated superhero films of all time as a possible future Robin in The Dark Knight Rises, Gordon-Levitt has yet to make a superhero role his own. With DC having moved on to new cinematic universes, it could be time for the actor to return to the fold as a new character.
Kingsharkshoe flips the script on a certain popular fan-casting for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, instead suggesting that The Office's John Krasinski don the signature green ring. "Everyone wants John Krasinski to play Reed Richards," they write, "but I honestly think he could pull off a great Hal [Jordan.]"
Krasinski has certainly showcased his acting range in his years since The Office, specifically in his self-directed horror franchise A Quiet Place. Audiences now not only see him as a talented comedian but also as a viable dramatic lead--something integral to the success of any superhero film. Furthermore, if the rumors of Krasinski's casting as Mister Fantastic in the MCU prove false, his turn as the iconic Hal Jordan for the DCEU could prove to be a worthwhile consolation prize for disappointed fans.
