The Green Lantern Corps movie is in development at DC from Geoff Johns, with a rumor offering that Mission Impossible director Christopher McQuarrie may direct the flick.
Christopher McQuarrie’s name has also been attached to a possible new Superman Man of Steel 2 movie, as talk of McQuarrie directing a DC movie came about because of Henry Cavill’s involvement in Mission: Impossible – Fallout. What’s interesting is that in a report about McQuarrie and Tom Cruise returning for two more Mission Impossible films, it was confirmed that Warner Bros. approached McQuarrie for DC movies.
It could very well be possible that following the two new Mission Impossible movies, which film back-to-back, that Christopher McQuarrie could tackle a DC film. Maybe this is the reason that Henry Cavill’s Superman has been seemingly placed on the backburner as WB is waiting on McQuarrie? Maybe McQuarrie is even going to direct both a Man of Steel 2 and the Green Lantern Corps film? The rumor doesn’t offer further details other than Christopher McQuarrie is still interested in directing Green Lantern Corps (via Reddit, Twitter).
Update: A reported production sheet has surfaced offering:
Logline: Former test pilot Hal Jordan, now a veteran of the intergalactic group of protectors for peace and justice known as the Green Lantern Corps, mentor young recruit John Stewart. Release date in 2020.
Jon Berg is listed as an exec, Geoff Johns as producer with David S. Goyer as writer and producer, and Justin Rhodes as writer.
Christopher McQuarrie being interested as director.
Hal Jordan is described as the lead, male, 39-50: Now a veteran of the Green Lantern Corps., Caucasian. Former military test-pilot.
John Stewart, lead, male, 31-30: Young, African-American. Marine Sniper before he joined the Lantern Corps.
What Is Known About Green Lantern Corps
What is currently known about the Green Lantern Corps movie isn’t much, but it was first announced back at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con with concept art revealed (that looked a lot like Chris Pine before he was announced as part of Wonder Woman). It then became known that Geoff Johns stepped down from his position as DC president and chief creative office to launch his own production company, Mad Ghost Productions, with the site confirming a Green Lantern Corps movie is in development featuring Hal Jordan and John Stewart.
The most recent update about Green Lantern Corps came in an interview with DC Comics writer Grant Morrison, who is writing the new Green Lantern comic book. Deadline offers the latest word on the Green Lantern Corps movie is that “producer-writer Geoff Johns is working on a script that will reinvent Green Lantern, but the details are scant.” The article even hints that Grant Morrison’s current Green Lantern comic book could be a basis for the movie as it’s stated, “But the most screen-ready version of the Emerald Crusader may actually be the very latest one.”
Geoff Johns on Green Lantern Corps
In various interviews, Geoff Johns has talked about his plans for Green Lantern Corps, though in subtle detail. Geoff Johns did offer his approach to Green Lantern Corps will not be copying Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which saw James Gunn change the tone of the film from the comic to one of a more goofy nature (good news is the GLC comic isn’t goofy).
“I agree in both a similar way and a very different way, too, because you can’t be just ‘it’s DC’s Guardians of the Galaxy,'” Johns said last Summer. “…Because James Gunn did such a great job on that, but you got to look at it like… I don’t want to get into it, either.”
John also offered a clue to the direction he is taking the Green Lantern Corps movie, which is to look to the comics (again, good news).
“I think you look at everything – this is when I do comics, too – you look at everything that worked and didn’t work, on anything,” Johns said. “Like revamping a character, reintroducing a character, I’ve done it a lot. The creative kind of viewpoint and way into the character and rebooting and changing it and reintroducing it, is informed by everything. It’s informed by comics and both what works and what doesn’t work. I don’t wanna spoil any of the story there, but if people liked my run on Green Lantern, then hopefully they’ll like what I’m doing.”
Johns also explained last July, “There is much more to it than that. But really, it’s a complete re-imagining, just like I did Green Lantern: Rebirth in the comics. I’m going to be hopefully delivering a script that Warner loves and DC likes and they want to make it, that is going to celebrate the mythology and reinvent it in a different way, but also, if you’ve read my Green Lantern run, it’s very much in line with some stuff we did in there.”
Johns also commented on the potential look of the Green Lantern Corps movie suits, while discussing the 2011 Ryan Reynolds movie, hinting it may be a blend of practical and CGI effects.
“I look at what they did with those suits. Look, I have so many opinions that I won’t say,” Johns said in regards to the 2011 Green Lantern movie. “…That’s such a down the line conversation about director and costume designer… You think about it, but when I’m writing the story, I am not worried about the practicality yet of the suit. In my head, a tangible suit is cooler, an enhanced tangible suit is better. But it’s really going to be about where we are in the director and everything else, and that’s a question, we get a great script, and we get a great director, and they want to make the movie and then [we’ll see].”
Zack Snyder’s Green Lantern Corps plans
New details about Zack Snyder’s plans for the Green Lantern Corps in the DCEU have also recently come to light. An insider who works on the DC movies chatted with the Fire and Water podcast where it became known that Snyder’s original plan was to have the Justice League movie open with that big flashback war scene from the past. Originally, it was going to feature Darkseid, Aries and multiple Green Lanterns. The idea was to have the Green Lantern Corps developed in additional Justice League movies.
More Green Lantern Corps Rumors
As it is the DCEU, there are a bunch of rumors – some pretty crazy – that are associated with the Green Lantern Corps movie including that Hal Jordan is to die. One rumor claims that Tom Cruise is wanted for the role of Hal Jordan, but that Cruise will only come on board if the script is rewritten, which currently features Hal Jordan’s death. It’s probably safe to assume that if Christopher McQuarrie did sign on for the Green Lantern Corps movie that Tom Cruise would as well.
A rumor surrounding Green Lantern Corps from last June also said that Warner Bros is currently looking for a young actor in his late 20s to early 30s to play John Stewart. There have also been rumors and speculation that Hal Jordan would be older, possibly in his 40s or older (again, Tom Cruise).
A rumored plot for the movie is said to explain the reason that Hal Jordan didn’t appear as Green Lantern during Man of Steel, Batman vs. Superman and Justice League is due to being trapped in deep space as he lost his ring. Green Lanterns Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz are also rumored for Green Lantern Corps, with it said Jessica Cruz receives Hal’s ring. It’s claimed in the treatment that Baz is rightfully chosen, while Cruz is picked by Hal’s ring, which incorporates her insecurities about if she should be a Green Lantern. Jessica Cruz is said to be the current lead character of Green Lantern Corps, with Simon Baz being the secondary lead.
The movie has also been described as a “Lethal Weapon in space” team-up featuring Jordan and Stewart.
Update: Zac Efron is rumored for a role.
Green Lantern Corps concept art
2015 Comic-Con:
2017 Comic-Con:
2018: Comic-Con Worlds of DC promo with GLC: