Green Lantern Casting: Who's your pick?

[Kodiak]

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If you immediately cried foul on the Justin Timberlake as Green Lantern rumor, you might want to bite your tongue. As it turns out, the pop sensation’s chances of playing Hal Jordan are very real, though he’ll have to fend off two other serious contenders on his way towards the power ring.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, three frontrunners have emerged in the race to star in “Green Lantern” for Warner Bros. Two of those names are familiar — Bradley Cooper and Justin Timberlake — but the other is new to the mix. No stranger to comic book fare, none other than Deadpool himself, Ryan Reynolds is also a contender for the role.

If Reynolds lands the coveted role of Hal Jordan, that means the actor will be starring in two comic book franchises of his own. That’s not entirely unprecedented, as “Superman Returns” star Brandon Routh has since landed roles in “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” and “Dead of Night.” Still, Routh’s roles are hardly of the same caliber of what Reynolds would be undertaking. As both Wade Wilson and Hal Jordan, he would be the face of two very different superhero properties — is that too much for audiences to bear?

Cooper, on the other hand, is an actor without a superhero to call his own. He has the geek credentials from his role on “Alias” while simultaneously exhibiting Hal Jordan’s signature cockiness in “Wedding Crashers” and “The Hangover.” Indeed, it’s his performance in the latter film that has likely caught the studio’s attention. With the actor’s star on the rise — don’t forget his recently signed deal for “The A-Team” — perhaps “Green Lantern” could be his breakout hit.

But is Cooper still too unproven to take the lead on an insanely big-budgeted superhero film? Can Cooper draw in the box office numbers that Warner Bros. needs to make this thing fly?

That brings us to the most divisive candidate of all. Love him or hate him, Justin Timberlake’s attachment to “Green Lantern” is unquestionably the most polarizing of the three actors — but he also has the broadest appeal to a global audience, thanks to his megastar status. Perhaps Timberlake is the ace in the hole for Warner Bros., a studio that could be worried about investing so much money in a second tier superhero film.

And make no mistake about it, this film will be huge. THR describes “Green Lantern” as “a full-blown space epic that is expected to cost between $150 million and $200 million, if not more.” Meritorious as he is, Hal Jordan is a lesser known quantity than Batman or Superman. Is putting an international icon in the lead character’s shoes the most surefire way to ensure a solid return on the WB’s considerable investment?

There’s a lot at play here, folks, but we’re likely to get some definitive answers soon. The article notes that Warner’s holding deal on Timberlake, Reynolds and Cooper ended this past Monday, meaning that the three actors are officially free to accept other offers. With a December 2010 release date not as far away as you’d think, it’s only a matter of time before one of these three candidates edges the others out to become the defender of Space Sector 2814.

Then again, maybe Nathan Fillion and Rainn Wilson are the real frontrunners, if their recent DC Comics meeting is any indication. You just never know in Hollywood.

I'm a bit torn between Ryan Reynolds and Timberlake to take the green ring and light up this picture. Reynolds would be good at it, and yet I have to agree that in order to "sell" a Green Lantern movie to the masses putting someone with Timberlake's name recognition would be tough to beat. Also he's had a lot of stuff recently on SNL that's brought him away from his boy-band image.

[Solauren]

Timberlake might be able to pull off being the Green Lantern.

Reynolds, not so much. Sorry, I have no trouble seeing him as Deadpool (movie or comics-wise), but as the Green Lantern? Not so much.

[Adrian McNair]

I'd rather see Nathan Fillion play Hal Jordan than either of those two, to be honest.

[Batman]

I'm not sure. While I LIKE Nathan Fillion and think he might make a great ESTABLISHED Green Lantern, using him TO establish a Green Lantern, especially to what is let's face it largely going to be a youngish audience, might not work so well.
I positively don't like Justin Timberlake. I ALSO positively didn't like the Tumbler or the Nolan suits so make of that what you will.
I think WHATEVER his other qualities (or lack thereof) are, Timberlake IS the right age for someone to start as Hal Jordan.

[LadyTevar]

Ya'll can stop asking -- It's Ryan Reynolds.

[paladin]

anyone but Timberlake. I want to see a superhero that's not afraid to mess up his manicure.

[Adrian McNair]

Yeah, they just had to go with one of the more average choices, didn't they? Talk about spineless, lazy casting. But I'll wait and see.

I'm not sure. While I LIKE Nathan Fillion and think he might make a great ESTABLISHED Green Lantern, using him TO establish a Green Lantern, especially to what is let's face it largely going to be a youngish audience, might not work so well.

So his age is the only excuse not to cast him? That's pretty lame. I think in this case we need someone with experience and established acting ability, not a generic baby-faced heart-throb. Fillion could pull it off. He's got the charisma and he could deliver the humourous lines well-enough to make it work.

[Ioudas Omnis]

Yeah, they just had to go with one of the more average choices, didn't they? Talk about spineless, lazy casting. But I'll wait and see.

I'm not sure. While I LIKE Nathan Fillion and think he might make a great ESTABLISHED Green Lantern, using him TO establish a Green Lantern, especially to what is let's face it largely going to be a youngish audience, might not work so well.

So his age is the only excuse not to cast him? That's pretty lame. I think in this case we need someone with experience and established acting ability, not a generic baby-faced heart-throb. Fillion could pull it off. He's got the charisma and he could deliver the humourous lines well-enough to make it work.

Oh yeah, Fillion would definitely be up there. He looks rather like a superhero, too. I think part of it is the hair.

[Havok]

This really depends of which Hal they want to use. Retard make a giant Blender of Doom Hal, or the darker Hal that kills everyone, but oops, it was Parallax, so I'm innocent, but am now a badass, Hal.

Timberlake, I think could do the retard, more whimsical Hal pretty well. I think Reynolds could do that Hal as well. However, I think that Timberlake doesn't fit as a darker Hal that will be more akin to the Batman from Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.

Ya'll can stop asking -- It's Ryan Reynolds.

Confirmed or just wishful ab daydreams Tev?

[Batman]

Somebody hasn't checked the FAN forum in a while Yes, it's apparently confirmed.

[Drooling Iguana]

I think Will Ferrell would make a decent Guy Gardner. I don't really know enough about Hal to give a useful casting suggestion, though.

[Havok]

I think Will Ferrell would make a decent Guy Gardner. I don't really know enough about Hal to give a useful casting suggestion, though.

Wow. I think that would be just about the worst casting choice in the history of cinema.

[Molyneux]

I was a bit disappointed that this wasn't Nathan Fillion...YES, I saw that fan trailer too. Still, Ryan Reynolds has both acting and comic-book-geek chops, so I'll give this a shot.

I'm still hoping for a decent portrayal of John Stewart on the big screen sometime soon, though.