After a series of Earth-bound adventures, it seems DC once again has decided to look the stars. We've known for quite some time that a Green Lantern Corps movie has been in development, but few details have come forward about the project -- until now. Earlier this week DC announced that Green Lantern Corps (which is currently slated to hit theaters on July 24, 2020) would focus on the dynamic between Hal Jordan and John Stewart, and play out like a buddy cop movie set in outer space.
As excited as we are about this development, it's impossible not to remember the 2011 version of Green Lantern that completely missed the mark. To help figure out what it takes to craft a decent Green Lantern movie, we have compiled a list of vital elements that the DCEU needs to factor into Green Lantern Corps' story. Without further delay, let's get the ball rolling with the two heroes who will ground the entire affair.
Explore The Differences Between Hal and John
Let's get one of the most fundamental aspects of the Green Lantern mythos out of the way right off the bat. Green Lantern is a mantle and not a single hero. It has been passed down from a wide variety of individuals over the years, and each member of the Corps has brought something new to the equation. Green Lantern Corps should lean into that idea by truly highlighting the key differences between Hal Jordan and John Stewart. If this movie wants to feel like Lethal Weapon in outer space, then it shouldn't be afraid to play up Hal's cocky, maverick sensibilities, and starkly contrast them with John Stewart's gruff, no-nonsense demeanor. Half the fun of watching a story like this is following two diametrically opposed individuals as they learn to work within each other's personalities and skill sets, which means a "one size fits all" approach to Hal and John simply won't work.
Keep The Action Away From Earth As Much As Possible
I'm going to be perfectly blunt; the DCEU already has enough Earth-bound heroes to keep us occupied for quite some time. Even the established aliens like Superman (Henry Cavill) and General Zod (Michael Shannon) have stuck to Earth. The Green Lantern Corps serves as a police force for the entire universe, and the Earth-based Lanterns (such as Hal and John) serve as guardians for the entirety of Sector 2814. These characters often spend long stretches of time away from Earth, and the film shouldn't be afraid to keep them away from home to explore more exotic locales in the silver screen DC universe. Man of Steel established the fact that life exists elsewhere in the galaxy in its opening moments, so there's already an infinite number of planets and systems that our heroes can visit during the events of Green Lantern Corps.
Explore The Underlying Weirdness Of The Green Lantern Mythos
There's no beating around the bush on this point; the Green Lanterns have one of the weirdest corners of the entire DC universe, and the film shouldn't be afraid to embrace that weirdness. From the utterly bizarre constructs that our heroes craft with their Power Rings to the wild varieties of alien species that they encounter during their travels through the cosmos, there's no shortage of delightfully absurd sci-fi elements that will make Green Lantern Corps stand out from the rest of DC's more straight-faced movies. Green Lantern Corps has the unique opportunity to strike a tone similar to Marvel's wildly successful Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, and that's definitely something that fans of the green-clad space cops would want to see.
Use Practical Effects Wherever Possible
We live in an era that has become entirely defined by eye-popping special effects, and as such, I completely understand that CGI is necessary to realize a proper Green Lantern story. That said, Green Lantern Corps needs to embrace the fact that audiences still appreciate practical effects in high-concept sci-fi adventures -- see: The Force Awakens. The 2011 Ryan Reynolds-fronted version of Green Lantern has become infamous for its liberal use of computer generated visual effects, and those visuals have already become extremely dated. Green Lantern Corps needs to avoid such pitfalls. Use make-up and prosthetics to create many of the outlandish alien creatures that we will see over the course of the movie, and craft legitimate sets for our heroes to walk through; the payoff will be well worth it. Oh, one more thing; in the words of Deadpool, please don't make the super suit animated.
Show The Scale Of The Entire Green Lantern Corps
They don't call it the "Green Lantern Corps" for nothing. Although the upcoming Green Lantern-centric movie will focus primarily on the dynamic between Hal Jordan and John Stewart, the film should also take the time to showcase the size and scope of the Corps as a whole. In the current incarnation of the comics, the Green Lantern Corps is comprised of roughly 7,200 individual members -- all of whom possess their own unique personalities, abilities, and appearances. There's absolutely no reason to depict Hal and John as lone heroes facing off against a threat. We want to see this entire peacekeeping force stand shoulder to shoulder to face off against the universe's biggest perils. We also want giant space battles, DC; give us giant space battles!
Examine The Entire Emotional Spectrum
The 2011 version of Green Lantern took minor steps to broach the idea of the emotional spectrum, but Green Lantern Corps should go all in and embrace the idea. At its core, the emotional spectrum implies that there are different Corps all around the universe built upon different emotions. The Green Lanterns harness the power of will, but the Red Lanterns harness rage, Sinestro Corps harnesses fear and the Blue Lanterns harness hope. Each organization has its own ideologies, methodologies, and different members, and a thorough exploration of the emotional spectrum would go a long way towards fleshing out the landscape of the universe away from Earth. After all, there's so much more to the Green Lantern mythos than the simple conflict between the power of fear and the power of will.
What aspects of the Green Lantern mythology do you want to see incorporated into Green Lantern Corps? Let us know what you think in the comments section below! Green Lantern Corps is currently slated to hit theaters on July 24, 2020.
