For a while now, Warner Bros. has kept suspiciously quiet about Green Lantern Corps. Perhaps it’s because their first attempt to bring the property to the big screen – 2011’s Green Lantern – was a bit of a disaster. Or, maybe it’s because the film is still so far off (2020) and the studio has been focused on projects like Wonder Woman and Justice League for the last little while. Either way, it seems that WB is finally ready to start kicking things into gear now.
A few weeks back, we heard that the movie had picked up two writers in the form of David Goyer and Justin Rhodes. That didn’t sit terribly well with fans, but then came a reported shortlist of who Warner Bros. were eyeing for the role of Hal Jordan. Boasting names like Armie Hammer, Tom Cruise, Ryan Reynolds and more, it caused quite a stir on the internet and excitement in the film quickly spiked.
While The Wrap cited a source close to production for how they got a hold of the shortlist, Hammer is now casting some doubt over their intel. Speaking at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, which is currently underway, the actor said that when he saw the news break online earlier in the week, it was the first he’d heard of it. Whether he’s just playing coy or not is hard to say, but let’s take a look at what we know so far.
For one, The Wrap isn’t the only outlet who was told about Hammer’s involvement, as our source confirmed it as well. Not only that, but The Lone Ranger star has been linked to the DC Extended Universe for a very long time now and this is hardly the first occasion where his name has come up in relation to a superhero role. Plus, there’s also the fact that in Hollywood, when you’re under consideration for a high profile project such as this, the unwritten rule is that you’re not supposed to talk about it.
Of course, it might also be possible that Warner Bros. hasn’t actually formally approached the actor yet about the part. Even though he’s on the shortlist, the studio may still be mulling over their options and not reaching out to the individuals on the list until they’ve had more time to think things over.
All things considered, we’d say that there’s a pretty good chance Hammer is being eyed for Green Lantern Corps and he’s just playing dumb here – as actors tend to do in these situations. Whether or not he’ll ultimately land the role of Hal Jordan is another matter entirely, but we certainly wouldn’t be upset if he did.
Tell us, who are you hoping to see lead the 2020 film for Warner Bros.? Hammer, or someone else? Sound off in the usual place and give us your thoughts!