Credit: Marvel StudiosAt Super Bowl LVIII, Marvel Studios, along with Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool/Wade Wilson) and his “frenemy” Hugh Jackman (Wolverine/Logan), announced that the highly anticipated third installment of the Deadpool series, originally titled Deadpool 3, would be reimagined as Deadpool & Wolverine, under director Shawn Levy.
Related: Ryan Reynolds’ Hero Officially Replaced, Reboot Underway: Report
With Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man/Tony Stark and Chris Evans’ Captain America/Steve Rogers stepping down, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has entered a new chapter known as the Multiverse Saga.
Despite concerns over “superhero fatigue” and the departure of Jonathan Majors, who previously portrayed Kang the Conqueror, Marvel Studios is set to reshape the Marvel movie landscape once again with this new Deadpool film, currently dominating theaters with over a billion made in the international box office.
But what happened before all of this? How did Ryan Reynolds get his big superhero break? No, we don’t mean the X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) edition of Deadpool — in fact, it all began with DC’s Green Lantern (2011).
Starring Reynolds in that infamous, animated green supersuit, Green Lantern is a film often mocked in the meta-humor of Reynolds’ Deadpool franchise as one of Reynolds’ self-admitted “worst decisions ever.” Case in point: Deadpool 2‘s (2018) end credits scene where Reynolds, playing himself, gets shot in the head by his Marvel Wade Wilson counterpart as he’s contemplating taking the Hal Jordan/Green Lantern role:
Related: Warner Bros. Looks To Sell ‘Harry Potter’, ‘Batman’ Rights After Disappointing Performance
Ryan Reynolds’ Superhero Origin Story: Redux?
It’s a time of change over at the newly minted DC Studios, and Ryan Reynolds’ superhero history looks to be getting erased in favor of something totally new.
Following the Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) merger, the studio experienced significant restructuring, leading to the departure of Walter Hamada, the former head of WB’s DC film division, and the elimination of director Zack Snyder’s Justice League or “Snyderverse”, officially the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
Instead, director James Gunn, widely recognized for the Guardians of the Galaxy series in The Walt Disney Company’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), as well as the DCEU’s The Suicide Squad (2021) — a different film from the 2016 version starring Jared Leto as the Joker — has taken over Hamada’s former role, sharing the position with co-CEO Peter Safran.
Now, it looks like DC Studios is heading into a Green Lantern remake with a new show currently titled Lanterns.
Reddit subreddit r/DCULeaks shared an Instagram story from Vanessa Baden Kelly, of the newly announced crew and creative team for DC’s Lanterns show.
A team of what looks to be 10 writers is assembled in this new picture of the core Lanterns team under a logo and text reading “Brightest Day: Volume One,” which references the iconic “In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight” motto from the DC Comics.
The upcoming Lanterns project will seemingly try to redo DC film fans’ first (likely negative) impressions of the Green Lantern character as once portrayed by Reynolds and the associated Lantern Corps, with the conflict, heroes, and villains from across the Lantern color spectrum.
Creative Team for Lanterns
byu/GreenLanternsPodcast inDCULeaks
In an effort to compete with Disney+’s (Disney Plus) ever-growing array of Marvel Television series, DC Studios’ Green Lantern reboot, Lanterns, will be a new HBO Original series. This version will delve into the DC Comics Lantern Corps storyline and is expected to start filming in the first quarter of 2025. Production is currently slated to begin in January.
As Peacemaker Season 2 is in production and David Corenswet’s Superman wraps filming, the DCU is looking towards broadening its future.
Alongside movies Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Batman franchise entry The Brave and the Bold directed by The Flash (2022) director Andy Muschietti, the DC Universe appears keen to expand into the realm of superhero TV with Lanterns and the animate Creature Commandos.
Are you excited for this new phase of the DCU? Who would be a good replacement for Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
More on Green Lantern and DC’s Lantern Corps
“In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil’s might beware my power — Green Lantern’s light!”
Green Lantern (2011) is a superhero film directed by Martin Campbell, based on the iconic DC comic book character. The movie stars Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan, a test pilot who is chosen to join the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic force tasked with protecting the universe. With his newfound powers, Hal can manifest anything he imagines.
The film also features Blake Lively as Carol Ferris, Hal’s love interest and fellow pilot; Peter Sarsgaard as Hector Hammond, a scientist who turns villainous; and Mark Strong as Sinestro, a member of the Sinestro Corps. Additionally, Geoffrey Rush voices Tomar-Re, a Green Lantern who mentors Hal, while Clancy Brown lends his voice to the menacing Parallax.
In the DC Comics universe, the Lantern Corps is a series of organizations, each powered by a different color from the emotional spectrum. The Green Lantern Corps, fueled by the green light of willpower, serves as the universe’s protectors.
The Sinestro Corps, on the other hand, harnesses the yellow light of fear. The Red Lantern Corps is driven by the red light of rage, while the Blue Lantern Corps embodies the blue light of hope.
Other Corps include the Orange Lantern Corps, which represents avarice; the Indigo Tribe, symbolizing compassion; and the Star Sapphire Corps, which channels the light of love. Completing the spectrum are the Black Lantern Corps, powered by death, and the White Lantern Corps, fueled by life, each contributing uniquely to the rich lore of the DC Universe.