Screenwriters tend not to get the credit that they deserve in Hollywood these days, with only a few ever actually becoming households names. Arguably the most well-known and beloved screenwriter of the modern age is Aaron Sorkin -- the man behind modern classics like The Social Network and A Few Good Men. Sorkin has made a name for himself as one of the best writers in film and television, so imagine our surprise when we learned that he had set up meetings with DC and Marvel. That's right folks, Aaron Sorkin is possibly going to write a superhero movie at some point in the near future.
If Aaron Sorkin indeed is considering getting into the superhero business, then there is only one character that he should be looking at right now: Green Arrow. Oliver Queen seems like a character who is tailor made for Aaron Sorkin's particular screenwriting sensibilities, and as such we have compiled a list of reasons why a potential Green Arrow movie is the perfect project for this legendary (and endlessly prolific) scribe. Take a look at our arguments, and let us know which comic book hero you would like to see Aaron Sorkin get involved with. Now, on that note, let's kick this off with one of the most controversial aspects of Oliver Queen: his politics.
Sorkin Knows How To Write Politically Charged Stories
Regardless of your own political affiliation, it's impossible to divorce Oliver Queen from his personal political ideology. His far left, radical sensibilities came into play during the 1960s, and they are what set The Emerald Archer apart from other billionaire vigilantes in the comic book world. Whether or not comic book movies should come with political arguments is obviously a long-running debate in the online community, but it would be hard to imagine a Green Arrow movie without centering on that fundamental aspect of the character. Aaron Sorkin has never shied away from including this type of political rhetoric in his screenplays, and his work on projects like The Newsroom and The West Wing undoubtedly served as perfect practice runs to take a crack at the comic book world's most iconic liberal icon. It would be as if Jed Barlet picked up a bow and arrow and went to work on corruption.
Sorkin's Oliver Queen Could Be As Quick-Witted As The Comic Book Character
The characters who inhabit the world created by Aaron Sorkin already have a very particular set of superpowers; they are all naturally gifted at talking fast and coming up with endlessly witty responses to one another. Green Arrow is a hero with a sharp tongue (he stands right alongside Deadpool and Tony Stark in terms of zingers) and as such he is a character who requires a writer who knows how to craft lightning fast dialogue at each and every turn. Sorkin perfected the art of the "walk and talk" dialogue sequence with his work on shows like The West Wing and Sports Night. It seems entirely logical that his ability to create incredibly dense and layered exchanges between characters would serve the DCEU incredibly well within the halls of Queen Consolidated or the Star City Mayor's Office. Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen is dark, brooding, and quiet; it's time for a change.
Sorkin Excels At Writing Anti-Heroes
From The West Wing's Josh Lyman and Tobey Ziegler to The Social Network's Mark Zuckerberg and The Newsroom's Will McAvoy, Aaron Sorkin has long prided himself on being a screenwriter who can craft great stories centering on intelligently written anti-heroes. These are characters that audiences want to root for but are also ultimately bogged down by serious character flaws that plague them every step of the way. Within the world of DC Comics, few heroes epitomize that idea more than Oliver Queen. He is the epitomize of a man seeking redemption for past sins, and he is a perfect vessel for Aaron Sorkin to continue his hot streak. Sorkin admittedly hasn't tackled too many violent anti-heroes during his time as a screenwriter, but that only makes the prospect of him taking on Green Arrow that much more enticing. Arrow fights just as much as he talks, and we want to see that depicted properly on the silver screen.
Sorkin Works Well With Flashback Material
Oliver Queen has one of the most fascinating origin stories in all of the comics. After being marooned on a remote island in the middle of the ocean, he forges himself into a weapon and learns from his previously hedonistic and selfish ways. That said, we don't want to see a movie that is entirely devoted to Oliver's origin story because that type of movie has been done to death. On that note, Aaron Sorkin has proven time and time again (particularly with his work on films like Steve Jobs and The Social Network) that he knows how to craft coherent stories that don't necessarily follow coherent timelines in a linear fashion. His version of the Green Arrow narrative could cover flashbacks to his selfish days, his time on the island, and his time as the protector of Star City all while maintaining a strong sense of forward momentum and general clarity of creative vision.
