Warner Bros and DC are gearing up to give the Green Lantern mythology a second shot on the big screen with Green Lantern Corps, which will reportedly star Hal Jordan and John Stewart as the main protagonists. While there are already some actors rumored to be up for the former role, the same can't be said yet for the latter, although a few actors have expressed interest in it. This Is Us' Sterling K. Brown said last month he'd like to play John Stewart, and now rapper Common, who has already appeared in the DC Extended Universe thanks to Suicide Squad, wants a shot at the character.
Although he hasn't had any official conversations with Warner Bros and DC, Common is still keen on playing John Stewart, and he explained to IGN why this Green Lantern still appeals to him all these years after he just missed being able to play the hero when George Miller's Justice League Mortal was cancelled. In his words:
No, I haven't spoken to DC. John Stewart, the character, is amazing. When I had the opportunity of potentially being John Stewart, when we were working, I learned how he was part of the Green Lantern Corps and all that he was doing. He was kind of community-driven so I felt like, 'Oh, man, I love this character.' He used his mind to do a lot of things so I connected with him. I just love the character, but I don't know, I haven't talked to DC about it but, you know, hey! Yeah, I would love [to]. That would be an honor to play John Stewart.
The only plot details that have been reported about Green Lantern Corps so far is that it will be a Lethal Weapon in space-type story, and will also be based on a comic book origin story. Presumably that will be when Hal Jordan showed John Stewart the Green Lantern ropes, though it's possible the roles could be reversed for this cinematic universe. Either way, Common is clearly still a fan of John almost a decade after Justice League Mortal fell through, so perhaps he'll be considered during the Green Lantern Corps casting process.
As we mentioned earlier, Common has already left his mark on the DCEU in Suicide Squad, where he played a criminal named Monster T. However, the appearance basically amounted to a cameo, as he was swiftly killed by The Joker after making an inappropriate comment about Harley Quinn. On the one hand, already having a DCEU appearance on his resume might hurt Common's chances of playing John Stewart. On the other hand, Monster T was so minor a character that DC could easily get away with bringing Common back in a different capacity if they wanted to. Take away the tattoos and piercings, put him in a green and black uniform, problem solved.
Green Lantern Corps will cast its emerald light in theaters on July 24, 2020.
