In advance of the Season 2 premiere of American Gods, star Ricky Whittle revealed that he is a huge fan of Green Lantern and has actually had talks about playing the Emerald Knight in Green Lantern Corps. He has the support of Michael Green, the screenwriter behind 2011’s Green Lantern and 2017's Logan, as well as the former showrunner on American Gods, but can he get the Green Lantern fanbase behind him? This fan art imagining what Ricky Whittle could look like as John Stewart certainly won’t hurt his case.
In brightest day in blackest night, no evil shall escape Shadow Moon’s sight! Actor Ricky Whittle makes for a pretty convincing John Stewart and he definitely has the look to play the part. Looking at this fan art from BossLogic, you can see why Ricky Whittle’s name has been out there, and he has even had conversations with the powers that be (The Guardians of the Universe?) about donning the power ring on the big screen.
This is just one interpretation of what Ricky Whittle could look like as the character, but there is a lot to like about the potential casting beyond just this pretty picture. There’s a reason Ricky Whittle often plays badass characters. That’s what he looks like and you put him in a Green Lantern suit with a power ring on his finger, and that effect is just increased.
Also, it should be said that hopefully Warner Bros. takes a cue from this fan art and goes with a more practical costume for whoever plays Green Lantern next versus the all-CGI suit used in the 2011 film. If that were to happen and Ricky Whittle were to be cast, he has said that he would do tours to watch the film with fans in full costume. That’s how much he wants the role.
Ricky Whittle has a very intense and magnetic presence in this image, and that is true of his onscreen roles as well. In American Gods he plays Shadow Moon, an ex-con acting as a bodyguard to the mysterious Mr. Wednesday. That may be his most prominent role, but he also proved his action chops in the under-seen and under-appreciated series The 100 as Lincoln.
Both of those characters are silent badasses, preferring to speak softly and carry a big stick, peaceful men with lethality hidden just beneath the surface. That could really work for John Stewart who is sometimes portrayed as stoic, with a quiet intensity as opposed to the arrogant and brash Hal Jordan or the goofy and childish Guy Gardner.
Based on his previous roles, I think that Ricky Whittle would be a compelling choice for John Stewart in Green Lantern Corps, and the fact that he’s had conversations about the film means that someone involved sees something in him as well. So perhaps this fan art will prove to be an early look at things to come.
DC’s Green Lantern Corps is expected to feature both Hal Jordan and John Stewart, although we haven’t heard much about the film since last summer when Geoff Johns updated fans that he just wanted to write the best script he could for the film before development really ramped up.
We’ll keep you updated on Green Lantern Corps and everything going on in sector 2814. Be sure to check out our 2019 release schedule to see all the movies headed your way this year.
