Canadian actor Ryan "Deadpool" Reynolds has been cast as 'Green Lantern', the starring role in Warner Bros.' upcoming live-action feature based on the DC Comics super-hero, for director Martin "Casino Royale" Campbell.Production is expected to start January 2010.
Screenplay is by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Michael Green for producer Donald DeLine.
Created for DC Comics in the 1940's, the 'Green Lantern' character derives super-abilities from the use of a ring that can transmute green energy into physical matter.
The first 'Green Lantern', 'Alan Wellington Scott', debuted in "All-American Comics" #16 (July 1940), riding in a train when a sabotaged bridge causes a derailment. Scott saves himself by hanging onto a green metal lantern that 'speaks' to him, revealing it was once a 'Starheart' meteor that crashed into China, then forged into a lantern.
The lantern orders Scott to fashion a ring from its metal, then to touch the ring to the lantern.Obeying the lantern while reciting an oath, Scott gains magical powers, creates a vigilante costume and calls himself 'Green Lantern', with the ability to change green-tinted energy into solid shapes that can defy gravity.
The second Green Lantern, 'Hal Jordan', debuted in DC Comics' "Showcase" #22 (October 1959), working as a test pilot in 'Coast City' when dying alien 'Abin Sur', one of 3600 members of the 'Green Lantern Corps' begs Jordan to carry on by wearing his 'power ring', overseen by the 'Guardians of the Universe', keepers of the ring's battery source on planet 'Oa'.
Once Jordan accepts the ring, he is ordered to capture 'Sinestro', a renegade Green Lantern. Jordan defeats Sinestro, gains instant superhero celebrity, joins the 'Justice League of America' and teams up with "Green Arrow".
When 7 million people die in Coast City from 'Mongul' and the 'Superman' imposter 'Cyborg', Jordan, on the verge of a mental/physical breakdown, asks for more power from the Guardians, but they refuse, considering him unstable and demand he surrender his ring.
An enraged Jordan flies to Oa, killing every Green Lantern that gets in his way, but he is finally stopped and forfeits his ring to 'Kyle Rayner'.
In one final act of redemption, Jordan helps Rayner stop the solar-consuming 'Sun-Eater' but dies in the attempt, repeating the oath of the Green Lanterns as he sacrifices himself attempting to 'rekindle' the sun.
Meanwhile, "Green Lantern: First Flight", Warners direct-to-video animated adaptation will be released July 28.
The animated feature focuses on the first mission of 'Hal Jordan' (Christopher Meloni), an earthman inducted into the 'Green Lantern Corps', written by DC Comics animation collaborator Alan Burnett, produced by Bruce Timm and directed by Lauren Montgomery.Voice talents include Canadian actors Tricia "Battlestar Galactica" Helfer and Victor "Alias" Garber.
"Green Lantern: First Flight" is the fifth in a series of DC Universe Original Animated Movies released by Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Animation.
"First Flight" follows test pilot Jordan, recruited to join the intergalactic 'Green Lantern Corps' after the death of his alien predecessor 'Abin Sur'.
Jordan is assigned to 'Sector 2814' under the supervision of 'Sinestro', soon discovering his mentor is the central figure in a conspiracy that threatens the philosophies, traditions and hierarchy of the entire Green Lantern Corps.
According to director Montgomery, the film will not focus on Jordan's origin story previously covered in the "Justice League: The New Frontier" animated feature.
"We really didn't want to spend a whole lot of time telling that same story over again," said Montogomery."So in "Green Lantern: First Flight", the origin story is over and done before the opening credits."
DVD Extras include two production featurettes, commentary, a sneak peek of "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies", trailers of the DC Universe features, a digital copy download and two episodes of "Justice League" selected by producer Timm.
"Green Lantern: First Flight" will be available on standard DVD in single/double disc editions and HD Blu-ray July 28...
