Friday, November 19, 2010

'Green Lantern': The Movie That Could Have Been

Superhero flick could have been a Quentin Tarantino movie starring Jack Black or T.I.
By Eric Ditzian


Photo: DC Comics

"The ring, it chose you," Ryan Reynolds is told in the new "Green Lantern" trailer.

That is true. People's Sexiest Man Alive, Reynolds did finally land the role of Hal Jordan in the DC Comics adaptation. But the path that led to his casting was a circuitous one. Did you know Jack Black was once considered for the part? That the flick was once set to shoot in Australia? That Quentin Tarantino was actually offered the director's job? Oh, what could have been ...

Kevin Smith, for example, was once approached to helm a Green Lantern movie. Clearly, that would have been a more comedic take on the property. As would the installment that Black was eyeing.

"It would have been a comedy, and I don't know, maybe they didn't want to go that way with the character," Black told MTV News back in 2007. "You don't see a lot of the superheroes as comedies. Batman, Superman, Spider-Man — they're all pretty straight-up. I was going to be capturing bad guys with green, giant prophylactics. Some funny stuff."

As part of a potential Justice League film, the character was rumored to have been offered to everyone from Common to T.I. to Tyrese Gibson. And for a solo flick, "Everwood" creator Greg Berlanti was once tapped to direct, while "Watchmen" helmer Zack Snyder and Tarantino were approached for the gig.

"I was offered the 'Green Lantern,' " Tarantino revealed to MTV News. "Not since it's been a script, but just like, 'Hey we own the "Green Lantern." Would you like it?' "

By early '09, Warner Bros. had announced that "Green Lantern" would hit theaters on December 17, 2010. Martin Campbell ("Casino Royale") would direct and the film would shoot in Australia with a reported budget of $150 million. But who would be Jordan?

Early rumors touched on names like Ryan Gosling, Brian Austin Green, "Gossip Girl" star Matthew Settle and "Star Trek" stars Chris Pine and Anton Yelchin. The three front-runners eventually became Bradley Cooper, Justin Timberlake and Reynolds.

"I did get a chance to try out for it, which was amazing to even get a chance," Cooper said later. "Ryan Reynolds got it — who, by the way, if I was directing the movie, I would cast him. He's perfect. He actually looks like a superhero."

Check out everything we've got on "Green Lantern."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1652484/20101117/story.jhtml

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