If You Can't Wait for 'Lanterns,' Try This Legendary Ryan Reynolds Flop

In 2011, with the MCU in its early stages after the success of Iron Man, DC launched a film they hoped would serve as the keystone for their own shared cinematic universe. Green Lantern seemed like the perfect fit for a franchise-launcher: like Iron Man, Green Lantern (who was created by John Broome and Gil Kane in 1959's Showcase #22) was a b-list character with a strong following in the comic book realm. He had also recently been buoyed by a popular comics series written by Geoff Johns. They tapped Martin Campbell to direct; the New Zealander director had successfully relaunched the Bond franchise twice, with GoldenEye and Casino Royale, and had made a blockbuster out of one of the first superheroes in The Mask of Zorro. Unfortunately for WB, the film was a miss with both critics and audiences, excoriated for its clunky script and awkward special effects. Reynolds himself has frequently mocked the film and his performance in it; in the time-bending conclusion of Deadpool 2, the titular "merc with a mouth" even goes back in time to kill Reynolds before he can agree to star in it.

What Is 'Green Lantern' About?

Reynolds stars as hotshot test pilot Hal Jordan, who receives a power ring from Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison) - a dying member of the spacefaring Green Lantern Corps. He's swiftly inducted into the group himself, and is trained to use his ring, which can create energy constructs fueled by his imagination and willpower, by alien Green Lanterns Tomar-Re (Geoffrey Rush), Kilowog (Michael Clarke Duncan), and Sinestro (Mark Strong). Meanwhile, scientist Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) has been infected by Parallax (Clancy Brown), an alien space parasite that gives him phenomenal mental powers at the cost of making him look like a chunk of moldy Limburger. The film also stars Reynolds' now-real-life wife Blake Lively as Carol Ferris, an airspace company exec and Hal's love interest; Taika Waititi as Hal's pal Tom Kalmaku; Tim Robbins as Senator Robert Hammond, Hector's father; and Angela Bassett as government agent Amanda Waller.

While the stigma attached to Green Lantern kept the character off-screen throughout the run of the DCEU, the Corps is set to return in next year's Superman, where Nathan Fillion will play bowl-cut-sporting Lantern Guy Gardner. Lanterns, meanwhile, will follow GL Corps members Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as they investigate a crime on Earth.

Green Lantern will stream on Max starting January 1, 2025. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.