Next weekend audiences will get a small peak into the world called ‘DC Comics version of Star Wars.’ Ryan Reynolds will bring the Hal Jordan to life and along with him will be some other fan favorites. Sinestro, Tomar-Re, Kilowog, and even future Green Lantern,John Stewart, will appear in the film. But this is only a small group of the many Green Lanterns that comic books fans have come to know and love, spanning over 50 years and hundreds of comic book issues.
There are several ways Warner Bros. can take this film franchise. My hopes would be in the direction of Emerald Twilight, which lead to the introduction of my favorite Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner. Hal Jordan is still the main character in the Green Lantern comic, but the other Green Lanterns help fill two spin-off comics, one being Green Lantern Corps. Hal Jordan and John Stewart may already have their real-life counter parts picked, but here are my suggestions for some of the others.
Milo Ventimiglia as Kyle Rayner
At one point he was called ‘The Torchbearer’ and ‘Ion.’ Kyle Rayner was just a young artist until one night he walked out the wrong end of a bar and found a desperate Guardian wanting to bestow upon him the last Green Lantern ring left in the universe. Kyle Rayner went on to be the next generation of Green Lantern after Hal Jordan/Parallax destroyed the rest of the Corps. Kyle soon proved himself a hero and after defeating Parallax he started to become very powerful. It seemed Kyle was channeling the power of Ion, the source of all the Green Lanterns power. Kyle had a choice to either live as a god, or restart the entire Green Lantern Corps. I think we all know what he did.
On the show Heroes Milo Ventimiglia played Peter Petrelli, a man always trying to do the right thing. Peter had a strength and integrity that Kyle also portrays, which is why Milo would make a good Kyle Rayner. Milo also looks like he has a small chip on his shoulder, which is something Kyle feels due to all the loved ones he has lost since being a Green Lantern. Kyle wasn’t chosen to be a hero, he earned it, just like I think Milo would do.
Ryan Kwanten as Guy Gardner
Guy Gardner is the Lantern with attitude. Most people don’t seem to like him, but there is no doubting he knows how to bring it. When a college football injury ended Guy’s plans he thought his life was over, but little did he know he was one of two potential candidates for Abin Sur’s ring when he crashed on Earth. Hal Jordan just happened to be closer. Guy served as Hal’s back-up when he was unable to perform his Green Lantern duties for a while. At one point, when the Corps was destroyed Guy combined his own blood with alien DNA to still give him powers. But when the Corps was restored to glory Guy jumped on the band wagon and signed on as Kyle’s sector and business partner as the two set-up a bar for the thousands of Green Lanterns to hang out at during off-hours.
To play Guy Gardner I needed someone who could play an asshole, but a likable one. I came to the selection of Ryan Kwanten from HBO’s hit series True Blood. As Jason Stackhouse Ryan can be so annoying, and get himself way over his head, but through it all you want everything to be ok for him. He could play the tough-guy-Gardner with ease. Plus I think it’d be cool to see him slip on the red ring of Rage.
Natalie Portman as Soranik Natu
Sornik comes from Sinestro’s home planet of Korugar. She grew up, like the rest of her people, in fear of Sinestro, but she had loving parents you taught her right and Soranik grew up to be a doctor. When the call to be a Lantern came for her she refused it. She saw how the ring corrupted Sinestro and didn’t want any part of the Corps. She soon learned she could help a lot more people than just on Korugar. After a while she even hooked-up with another Lantern, Kyle Rayner. But Soranik’s world came crumbling down when she found out that Sinestro was her real father. He had given her up years ago when was a fugitive so that’s he could have a normal life. Soranik now despises her father and is determined to prove herself a better Lantern than he ever was.
Yes, I know, I love Natalie Portman. But when I needed someone to play a smart, confident, woman she was the first one to come to my mind. Portman has shown the world time and time again she can do everything from Oscar winning roles to romantic comedies. If Ryan Reynolds can jump from Marvel to DC why can’t Portman? So get this; Soranik’s father, Sinestro, married his best friend’s sister, Abin Sur. Abin Sur passed his ring on to Hal Jordan, who was replaced by Kyle Rayner, and Kyle Rayner is currently dating Soranik. Talk about your six degrees of Kevin Bacon.
Jon Cryer as the voice of Salaak
He is the gatekeeper and receptionist between the Lanterns and the Guardians. He relays all messages, tells the Lanterns where there is trouble, and always trust the Guardians judgment; big mistake if you ask me. I never really liked Salaak because he seemed like too much the Guardians lap-dog. However, I feel like he’s just now starting to figure out the Guardians poo isn’t made of rainbows.
When I thought of an actor who could be a major kiss-ass with no spine, and perhaps a little quirky, Jon Cryer came to mind. On Two and a Half Men Cryer plays the dorky goodie-goodie perfectly. I think he’d be able to project it through a microphone. My favorite Salaak moments are when Guy Gardner teases him.
Jordana Brewster as Boodikka
She is known as one of the best Lanterns there have ever been. She’s taken over training of new recruits for Kilowog for a while, and even taught Hal Jordan himself a thing or two. But Jordan fired back when he was Parallax and Boodikka was one of the Lanterns charged with stopping his reign of terror. Jordan took her ring by cutting off her hand and leaving her for dead. But Boodika survived and returned as a Lantern when the Corps was re-charged. She was one of the first the Guardians chose when they created the Alpha Lanterns. If the Green Lanterns are the police of space then the Alpha Lanterns are internal affairs, and nobody likes internal affairs; especially when they’re half-robot beings that can only follow rules written in the book of Oa.
With a strong character like Boodikka I needed an actress who can appeal to all sides of her. Jordana Brewster can appear vulnerable, strong, subordinate, and sexy all at the same time. I loved her in the Fast and Furious franchise, and I think it’s time for her to jump on a franchise that doesn’t just bust out the same ol’ model every film. Plus she’s just really hot.
Jennifer Lawrence as Arisia Rrab
Arisia always seemed to me like a very naïve and innocent character, but she’s not. Maybe it’s because she’s always so hopeful about everything. After becoming a Green Lantern Arisia soon developed a crush on Hal Jordan. For a time the two even lived together peacefully on Earth, but once Hal became Parallax and thought he killed her all bets were off. Hal found her years later, along with other Lanterns, being used as batteries by the Cycborg Superman. Hal and Guy Gardner freed them and Arisia rejoined the Corps. Since then she’s been doing her best to keep the Green Lanterns positive and efficient.
In X-Men: First Class Jennifer Lawrence played a young Mystique that seemed to be hopeful of the future. If Lawrence can take that same character attitude over to the DC universe I think we’d be in business. Of course I think she’s going to pretty busy these next few years, what with the lead role in The Hunger Games franchise. Oh well, it’s a nice thought.
Ali Larter as Laira
This is one girl I would not want to cross. Not only does she wield one of the most powerful weapons in the universe, but she is also an expert martial artist. Laira was trained by her father, a former Guardian of the Universe, to take his place as a possible Green Lantern when he died, and she did just that. She’s a tough as nails chick who murdered a member of the Sinestro Corps after he killed her family. This caused her to be chosen for the Red Lantern Corps, but was later killed by Sinestro himself.
Another Heroes alumnus who I think has more to offer than her TV personality. For two seasons she played Nikki Sanders on Heroes, but it was her evil personality, Jessica, I think she would need to tap into in order to play Laira. Larter I think could bring out the strength and rage of this character, and look good while doing it.
Colin Egglesfield as Sodam Yat
Sodam was raised on planet Daxam, and they hated anyone not from Daxam. Kind of like a racist planet. When Sodam was chosen as a Green Lantern, against his father’s wishes, he learned that other people weren’t so bad. His strength as a character also allowed him to be the newest embodiment of the Green Lantern mascot, Ion. The Guardians assigned Kyle Rayner to teach Sodam about wielding this awesome power seeing how Kyle was the only other being to be Ion. Daxam is also a planet similar to Krypton, so when Sodam is near a yellow sun not only does he have the power of a god, he also has heat vision too. Some guys have all the luck. But this luck didn’t safe him when he sacrificed himself to turn Daxam’s sun yellow so his people could fight off a Sinestro Corps invasion. But we haven’t seen the last of Sodam, trust me.
To play a character as perfect as Sodam you need someone who looks almost perfect. Colin Egglesfield made girls swoon in his newest film, Something Borrowed, and although I don’t plan on ever seeing the film he looks like he can pull off this part. I think it would be an interesting scene with Kyle trying to teach Sodam all about having the powers of Ion when he really doesn’t need it to be awesome.
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