San Diego Comic-Con was the first opportunity for anyone to catch footage of “Green Lantern” and, judging by what we’ve heard, the 90-second sneak peek was cut too quickly and didn’t show much. So to know a little more about this potential franchise-starter, the meat would be in audience Q&A sessions. Available to discuss the film were stars Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard and Mark Strong with director Martin Campbell, producer Donald DeLine and D.C. contributor Geoff Johns. What did we learn?
The Costume: That fuck-ugly eyesore that debuted on the cover for Entertainment Weekly was apparently a “work-in-progress” according to Campbell (“Casino Royale”), a phrase he apparently repeated several times. For the sartorially-inclined superhero fan, the final suit will have black and green combined, but without the Lantern’s trademark white gloves.
The Villain: The main antagonist in the film is Peter Sarsgaard’s Hector Hammond, who’s head will increase in size frequently throughout the movie’s runtime, but he’s not the only villain to be glimpsed in the first film. Parallax, an amorphous threat from the comics, supposedly looms as a threat Hal Jordan and other Lanterns must defeat. Parallax poisoned Hal Jordan in the comics into becoming a vengeful force (and it appears he’s in the film too), but it looks like the threat will be reduced to a character device, one that, in the draft we read, infects Hammond. However, Mark Strong’s character Sinestro is also a major player in the villain race, though he claims to be a mentor character in the first film, saying, “Whatever happens later, that’s later.” His name is Sinestro though, so, duh.
The Development: Ten years ago, the WB were interested in a “Green Lantern” movie, but the major sticking point, apparently, was the jewelry. According to Johns, the D.C. execs asked, “can we do the movie without the ring?” This line-of-thought convinced Johns there would never be a “Green Lantern” movie.
The Nerd-Service: Nobody involved with the film seems beneath giving the fans what they want. Apparently, Reynolds was asked by a young child in a GL shirt to recite the famous Green Lantern oath, and not only did he deliver, but he revealed he was actually wearing the Green Lantern ring before signing a comic for the child. Now THAT’S a way to get into a nerdy girl’s pants. There was also confirmation that the film will feature many of the other Green Lanterns, including fan favorite Kilowog. When asked about the very first Golden Age Green Lantern from the WWII-era comics, Alan Scott, Johns confirmed it was a possibility, which certainly matches what we read in the script. [images Blakelively]