In 2014, Warner Bros laid out its initial film slate for the DC Extended Universe, officially signaling that like Marvel, it was all-in on establishing a shared world filled with its most recognizable and more obscure plans. Numerous other DCEU movies have been announced since then, but of those original 10 movies, four have been released, two are coming out over the next year and four remain in some form of development. One of the in-development ones is Green Lantern Corps, but outside of revealing the title and that David Goyer and Justin Rhodes are working on the script, DC has been quiet about how this reboot is coming along. However, it's possible that this project is closer to happening than previously believed.
Last week, it was reported that Mission: Impossible - Fallout director Christopher McQuarrie is the newest director being eyed to helm Green Lantern Corps, and given his past collaborations with Tom Cruise, this has led to many online to wonder if the actor might be courted to play Hal Jordan. It remains to be seen if McQuarrie will actually direct Green Lantern Corps, but even if that hiring doesn't work out, Warner Bros and DC would be wise to make sure that the movie is prioritized rather than place it on the back burner, mainly for the following reasons.
It Opens Up DC's Cosmic Universe
So far the only major ways the DCEU has delved into DC Comics' cosmic realm is by Man of Steel briefly visiting Krypton and Justice League having Steppenwolf and his Parademon army invade Earth (twice), but this is just the tip of the iceberg. DC has published plenty of stories over the decades that aren't set on Earth, and the Green Lantern Corps movie can serve as a great way to fully delve into these other intergalactic corners, just like Guardians of the Galaxy did for the MCU. The DC universe is divided into 3600 sectors, and in the modern era, at least two Green Lanterns are charged with protecting a sector. Earth is located in Sector 2814, and while Green Lantern Corps could easily follow in the previous Green Lantern movie's footsteps and keep the main action based on our world, it would be better if the human Lanterns instead ventured out to other worlds, visited different alien civilizations, etc. This then paves the way for other cosmic-focused DCEU movies to be released, such as one based on Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythology.
It Doesn't Need Close Ties To The Justice League
To clarify, I'm not saying that the Green Lantern side of the DCEU shouldn't be connected to the Justice League at all. Should Justice League 2 happen, I would like it if John Stewart was added to the ranks. But as mentioned in the previous section, a Green Lantern is required to look after an entire sector, not just one world, and that's not counting those emergency situations when Lanterns are called to assist outside of their assigned sectors. So even though Green Lantern Corps' main characters will hail from Earth, and it would be nice if some ties were established between them and DC's other prominent heroes, it's not absolutely necessary. There's more than enough to keep the Emerald Knights busy elsewhere, and they're certainly capable enough to handle threats without calling in Superman, Wonder Woman and others in for backup. This movie will take place in a shared universe, but it could still be enjoyed as a standalone tale.
It's A Property That Needs Cinematic Redemption
The 2011 Green Lantern movie was intended to launch a sequel, as evidenced by Sinestro donning the yellow ring of fear in the mid-credits scene, but after the movie bombed critically and commercially, those plans were scrapped. While the Green Lantern mythos has remained an important pillar of the DC universe, and those who've wielded the ring have made numerous appearances in animated TV shows and video games, the fact is that to the general public, the Green Lantern movie has been their only exposure to the character(s), and needless to say that for most, it wasn't a good introduction. This is a property that is in major need of cinematic redemption, and it's better to make that happen sooner rather than later. With Justice League having included a few Green Lanterns in the Steppenwolf battle that took place thousands of years ago, the foundation has been set up for Green Lantern Corps, and not only has CGI technology significantly since the first Green Lantern movie came out, but hopefully when the reboot comes out, it will be just enough time that people have gotten over the stink of the last movie, but are still interested enough to see what this new version has to offer.
Its Reported Premise Sounds Amazing
As mentioned earlier, Warner Bros and DC have revealed few details about Green Lantern Corps, but a few years ago, it was reported that the movie would see Hal Jordan and John Stewart working together in a "Lethal Weapon in space"-type adventure. This is just the kind of story we need from a Green Lantern reboot, as it's falls more in line with the characters' jobs in the comics: serving as the "beats cops" of their sector and keeping the peace on the worlds that reside in that area. Yes, many Green Lantern stories are set on Earth, but the 2011 Green Lantern movie opted to set most of its action on our planet, and look how that turned out. Green Lantern Corps would be wise to take a cue from Thor: Ragnarok: spend a little time on Earth, but then set the main action far away in other areas of the cosmos. More importantly, though, is that the Lethal Weapon approach can also help tonally distinguish Green Lantern Corps from its predecessor. With Hal Jordan as the seasoned Lantern and John Stewart as the new recruit, you can bet that they'll have an entertaining buddy cop dynamic.
It Can Set Up A Long-Lasting Film Series
Legacy is an important theme in DC Comics history, as multiple individuals have often gone by the same superhero identity. However, Green Lantern is one of the few superheroes were multiple individuals are going by that moniker at the same time. Even ignoring the Golden Age Green Lantern (whose ring is powered by magic) and the thousands of alien Green Lanterns that are flying around the universe, Earth has had seven humans wear the emerald ring of willpower over the decades. Hal Jordan and John Stewart are expected to star in Green Lantern Corps, and you can easily have them lead several movies, but even if they exit at some point, the Green Lantern Corps film series doesn't have to end. From long-active Green Lanterns like Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner to newer recruits like Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz, there's no shortage of human Lanterns who could take over as leads, meaning that these movies could hypothetically go on for a long time, and each time new main characters are brought in, it serves as a soft relaunch.
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