By now I’m sure we all know that Super Hero films can be massive hits. Of course, on the other side of the coin, we know that they can be super disappointments. But as long as there is that little glimmer of potential, potential money making ability, studio’s will continue to crank them out. No one in Hollywood can resist money, it’s one of life’s guarantees: You will die (eventually) You will have to pay taxes, and Hollywood exec’s are money grubbing s.o.b’s. The fact that these types of films are so popular with established fan bases usually means that they are released during the summer, when the overwhelming majority of box-office smashes are released. But one of the hottest properties from the genre at this point in time is The Green Lantern, and as we stand the film will receive a December release date. Really? It’s time to question why. If the hero flicks make money during the summer, why release it in December? Is it just a case of the studio giving us all an early Christmas present, or are there issues with the film? It is entirely possible that this is a case of the latter, as the film is being “rushed” into production. That doesn’t bode well for the future of the Lantern.
I have obtained a copy of the script that is being used as the basis for this film, written by Greg Berlanti, Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim. I’ve read it through multiple times. Some of you may remember that not too long ago, a copy of the supposed script for Green Lantern found it’s way to the web. I’ve read that one too. I’m fairly familiar with the concepts that are being explored, at least the ones that the writers want to explore. Now I know that this version will end up being rather far from the finished product, but it gives us a unique look into the writers minds at this point in time. And I think that is way cool! I see the general vision for GL at this moment. The similarities between the older script and the newer one lead me to believe that they will try to keep the film as close to the original script as possible in terms of scale and major plot points. That could be a really good thing for the film. The first script explored the beauty and the mystique of Oa and deep space, and the film felt massive. All of those aspects are there in the latest version, but it is clear that the budget cuts that the studio reportedly wanted to make for the project, are going to happen. It feels less fantastical, yet more dramatic. Reading the script though, while different slightly, still was an experience. I could see visions of the words being played out before my eyes. My imagination ran wild with trying to see the film as the writers saw it.
Now is the time to turn away if you don’t want to know anything about the project, because the rest of this post will contain spoilers! Fair Warning, reading what the film is envisioned to be now could cause massive disappointment later if the film strays from this point on. Still there? Then you crave the knowledge just like I do. Let’s go over the script, and cover the high points. Once again, this will surely change between now and filming, but it gives us an early insight into what the studio has approved up until this point, which opens up all sorts of things for discussion. It opens in darkness, a lone voice explaining to us the existence of the Lanterns, a presence of good. Cue next scene with Abin Sur flying his space ship through a familiar territory of space and encountering a powerful new foe, Legion! And so early in the film we get action, suspense, and a great shot at one of the key plot points of the film, Legion itself. And it doesn’t really let up there. The film is full of high flying action on a grand scale. We get to see Oa and all the Lanterns in training, which lends to a cool set of shots showing all sorts of aliens wearing the iconic uniform and the green ring.
The rest of the script is littered with goodies for fans of the character. There will be scenes in the film that hint at future heroes and future villains. There are also references to past heroes. There are references of current heroes from other comic book titles. Comic book fans would absolutely love the script. It stays close to the comics and provides a true origin story that is both respectful of the established lore and exciting for everyone. All of this sounds good, but the one glaring issue in the film is that it is chock full of cliches, almost a sickening amount. Imagine, if you will, that you take all the hero cliches from every film you’ve ever seen, and stuck them in one movie. Yeah. It can be that bad at times. For all it’s exciting action and big beautiful sequences, there are a near exact number of cliches that just make you say “Come on!!!” The script ends on a cliche. Sure, it sets up a sequel, but it’s still a cliche. And speaking of sequels, the script was full of notes by presumably the writers, implying that certain aspects of the script were added to open up possibilities for numerous sequels, and even prequels. I found it to be quite annoying. I understand there will be many GL movies, as long as they are making money, but I don’t like the idea of adding a shot for the sole purpose of setting up other films, especially if the scene doesn’t really fit and seems forced.
So all of you that read the first version of the script should know all these things. The sad truth is that the latest version of the script isn’t exactly very different. There are some re-writes, some differences, but nothing major, and the sad cliches were not addressed. So if you’ve read the old script, you essentially know this one. Still, this appears as though the writing is there, so all the studio needs to do is to attach a star build to suit the role, and get a great director. Hopefully they keep the script the same as it is now, which isn’t likely but still possible. Then get a great actor, and the project will do fine. What is the studio thinking about those things at this moment? Let’s cover the actor first. There have been a lot of names tossed around to play Hal Jordan. Most recently, it looks like the studio has “fallen in love” with Anton Yelchin. If you’ve never heard of Yelchin, that’s okay. You’ll find out exactly who he is as he is set to star in two upcoming potential franchises: Star Trek and Terminator Salvation. You would think that two franchises would be enough to keep somebody busy, but Warner Brothers is eyeing Yelchin anyway. Now, I don’t know about you, but I just don’t think Yelchin is “built” to play Jordan. He’d have to add a lot of muscle, and even then he doesn’t exactly have the screen presence required to play a hero that will be carrying a franchise for at least 3 films. I like the guy, but he just isn’t a super hero. Personally I’d rather see Ryan Gosling. But the character still has not been cast.
So we have an expensive script being rushed into production by a studio that doesn’t want to make an expensive movie, we have the title role un-cast (but they are considering an actor that doesn’t fit the role!) and they haven’t even signed the director yet! They are reportedly negotiating with Martin Campbell, whom you may know from his work on two Zorro films, Goldeneye, and Casino Royal. But nothing is official yet, and anything can happen. So there are clear issues surrounding the project. Even if Campbell signs and Warner Brothers decides to allow him to make an expensive movie to match the expensive script, then you still have the largest issue facing the film at this point: They are “rushing” the film into production. You can’t rush a film like that. From everything I know and everything I’ve seen/read, that film is so big that it’s gonna take time to get it done right. If they rush it, they will surely end up cutting out some of the finer points of the film that would almost assuredly be considered inconsequential to the studio. We can’t have that. The Green Lantern deserves a great origin story, INCLUDING all the parts from Oa and the massive battles. Get the best CG people on the planet to do what will surely be the massive amounts of CG for the film. Most importantly, take your time!!!
So maybe the December release is beginning to make more sense. Maybe there are signs that this film won’t be what Warner Brothers thought it would be. I could always be wrong. I’m actually hoping I am. It would be a fantastic early Christmas present to see a great Green Lantern film. And maybe the lack of big time releases in the month lead Warner Brothers to believe that they could dominate the box office for months, possibly making more money than they would if the film was released in the following summer. All I’m saying is, Look at the signs. There is trouble there. Hopefully they right the ship. If they follow the script and get the casting right, we could get a great Lantern film. I love the Green Lantern, and there is nothing I want for Christmas more than a great GL film.
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March 4, 2009
#1
I dug the script… and I’m a HUGE GL fan, but still… I’m not digging SPOILER that the villain is Legion /SPOILER.
Not to pimp GKS too much, but I had an idea for a script and wrote a rough plot for it… forgive me if its too long a comment lol
ACT I
- COAST CITY, USA – Introduce Hal Jordan, the morning of the job interview at Ferris Industries – Young daredevil pilot.
- Flashback – Fighter pilot for the air force, relieved of duty after his daredevil stunts nearly killed a member of his squadron. This also blacklists Hal from flying with commercial airlines.
- Hal is then confronted by Ferris Aircraft, a privately owned and run aircraft engineering firm. Hal is offered a dangerous job, testing prototype aircraft engines.
- Introduce Carol Ferris, Hal’s love interest. Carol is the daughter of the owner, Ferris Industries, whom employed Hal to test the new aircraft engine.
- The first trial run of the aircraft goes awry, with the engine stalling mid-flight, causing Hal to eject from the plane, destroying it.
- Mr. Ferris gets pissed and throws the book at Hal, threatening to replace him with *John Doe*
- Flashback – *John Doe* was formerly in Hal’s air force squadron, and the real reason for the mission failure.
- Before the second trial, Hal and Carol hookup, confessing love, commitment, etc.
- Second trial run – everything is going according to plan… until a strange craft collides with Hal’s plane mid-flight. Hal manages to crash land the aircraft without damage to himself.
- Hal finds his way to the strange spacecraft. The ship, alien in design, is a destroyed mass… with trails leading away from the ship.
- Hal follows the trail behind a cluster of desert rocks, where he finds the red-skinned and hairless Abin Sur, a Green Lantern.
- Abin Sur is mortally wounded, impaled with a piece of shrapnel. Hal attempts to help the alien, who can only muster cryptic phrases like “it was him” and “betray the Corps”, etc. Hal notices a green ring on Abin’s left middle finger, which beings to glow and emit a deafening noise. Seconds before Abin Sur dies, he takes off the ring and places it in Hal’s hand, his last words are “you have no fear”.
- The ring speaks, “Green Lantern of Sector 2814… deceased”
- Hal places the ring on his finger. The ring emits a blinding green light which envelops him with almost flame-like tendrils. Hal is then completely engulfed with the bright light and green flames.
- It is here we see Hal’s Green Lantern costume form around him. It is just like the classic Jordan costume, albeit not “spandex-y”.
FADE TO WHITE
ACT II
- Silence interrupted with the sound of a heart beating rapidly. A voice cuts through the metronome.
- “Wake up Green Lantern. Wake up Hal Jordan”
- Consciousness floods back to Hal Jordan, lying on a platform what seems to be empty space.
- Introduce the Gaurdians, Ganthet, Sayd and Appa. The Gaurdians familiarize Hal with the history of the Lanterns (via short flashback/montage), and show him the Central Battery, the main source of all of the the Green Lanterns power.
- Hal Jordan, with other new Lanterns, is sworn into the Corps. Recites the oath.
- The Guardians place Hal under mentor-ship of Sinestro, the Green Lantern for sector 1417. This serves as a test for Hal Jordan, as none of Sinestro’s students have successfully become full-fledged Lanterns. Sinestro is stern and incredibly old-fashioned, almost fascist in nature. He has an almost immediate disgust with Hal.
- Sinestro is an older, slender man with a slightly larger than normal forehead and a purple-ish hue to his skin. A pencil thin mustache gives him a less corny “Snidely Whiplash” appearance. Hugo Weaving?
- A year has passed back on earth, and Hal Jordan is presumed dead though no body was found. *John Doe* has become Hal’s replacement at Ferris Industries, and in Carol’s love life.
- Hal meets several other Lanterns including Kilowog, Tomar-Re and Amon Sur, Abin Sur’s son. Through his race’s telekinesis abilities, Amon knows of Hal’s attempt to save his father. He reveals that the collision between Abin and Hal’s plane delayed what would have been an instant death. Amon believes that this was fate stepping in, meaning it was destiny for Hal to become a Lantern. Amon then makes reference to an ancient Lantern prophecy, and mentions the word “Ion”. Sinestro interrupts their conversation, and barks at Hal to get ready for training.
- Sinestro takes Hal through several training exercises, scrutinizing his every move with little patience. One exercise requires Hal to create a shield with his power ring, to deflects blasts from Sinestro. Sinestro’s green blast slowly turns to yellow, breaching Hal’s sheild blasting him directly in the unprotected chest. Before he blacks out, he hears Sinestro scoul “you fear, Jordan… that’s why you’ll never be a Lantern” and his consciousness fades with laugher.
- Hal goes to the Guardians about Sinestro’s less-than orthodox teaching methods, pleading to be reassigned. The Guardians deny Hal’s request citing Sinestro as old-fashioned but effective, instead ordering him to assist Sinestro on a field mission.
- Hal, alone in his quarters, uses the ring to spy on Carol on earth, where he discovers she has moved on. He is then interrupted by the Guardian Ganthet. Ganthet explains to him the dillemna of not being able to resume his life on earth and how it is against the Guardians rules to use the rings to spy. Ganthet leaves Hal, but on his way out mentions that he should “keep an eye on Sinestro”.
- Sinestro, Hal and Amon Sur, make their way to the planet Korugar, which is under attack by a large alien presence. Sinestro shows his strict leadership over Hal and Sur by seperating them in battle.
- On the planet surface, a huge yellow insect-like monster (Parallax?) is tearing the proverbial shit up. Destroying structures, mowing over clusters of Korugans. Hal Jordan goes into battle with the creature, though Sinestro and Amon are nowhere to be found.
- Amon, who landed a distance behind the creature, in thick foliage, makes his way towards the fight. He is stopped by Sinestro. “Did I ever tell you… Amon Sur… about your father?”
- Hal is deep in battle with the monster. He is picked up by one of its large tentacles and held miles in the air, where he hears the his ring speak.
- “Green Lantern of Sector 2814… deceased”
- Big action scene – Hal uses the ring to create a buzz saw and cut off the monster’s tentacle and free himself. He then seemingly defeates the beast, which dissipates into thin air.
- He flies upwards, scanning the planet surface for Amon. In the distance he spots a yellow flame emitting from a forested area. Hal flies down to the site to find Sinestro standing over Amon’s body. A yellow aura is being sucked from Amon’s body, and into Sinestro’s power ring, now turned yellow instead of green.
- Sinestro confronts Hal, who proceeds to lecture him about the power of fear and the weakness of will and hope, the elements that fuel the Lanterns. How talks about how he has learned to collect fear and use it to become more powerful. He then reveals how he killed Abin Sur who had found out about Sinestro’s motives to overthrow the Green Lantern Corps.
- Hal engages Sinestro in battle, but is quickly overpowered. The yellow monster re-emerges from the ground, separating Sinestro and Hal. Hal uses this as an opportunity to escape, and makes his way back to Oa, to inform the Guardians and Lanterns of what happened.
ACT III
- Hal returns to Oa, where he is attacked by other Lanterns – big chase/flight sequence – then taken to the Guardians and charged for failing to prevent the deaths of hundreds of Korugans. It is then that Hal tells them of Amon Sur’s murder and Sinestro’s betrayal of the Lanterns.
- They refuse to believe him until Hal shows them a recording he took, using the ring, of Sinestro ranting about fear over Amon’s corpse.
- Big action sequence – Sinestro attacks Oa.
- Sinestro’s Lantern costume is now yellow, with a new logo (as seen in the Sinestro Corps War comic arc).
- Sinestro kills many Lanterns and all the Guardians except Ganthet.
- Sinestro has a kick ass monologue about fear and creating a new Corps, the Sinestro Corps.
- Huge action sequence – Hal fights Sinestro, almost defeating him until the yellow creature comes out of Sinestro’s ring and possesses Hal’s body, briefly.
- For a moment Hal becomes fused with Parallax. Sinestro almost defeats Hal, when Hal’s ring begins to malfunction, replaying the recording of Carol on earth; Hal recites the Lantern oath, giving him the willpower to purge the fear.
- Hal throws Sinestro (with the Parallax creature) into the Central Battery, imprisoning him in the “anti-matter universe”.
- Hal returns to Ganthet, with a handful of surviving Lanterns. Ganthet reveals the prophecies of the Lanterns, how the attack and betrayal was meant to be. But if the prophecies are to be believed, then Sinestro would return with a proper army. The Lanterns must now begin restructuring the Corps.
- Hal requests to lead the Corps as general, but Kilowog was already given that post (clearly the comic-relief character). Ganthet reminds Hal that his post has been abandoned for too long and he must return to Earth.
- Hal descends upon Coast City
FADE TO BLACK
March 4, 2009
#2
We are open to cross promotion! Unlike many other sites, we are all about pimping our friends! GKS!!!
Anyway, I love the idea, it could be a really kick ass movie. The only thing about it is that I really want to see a three story arc involving Hal’s transformation into the un named villain that you kind of named (Cryptic enough non-Lantern fans?) I think the script you and I have read sets up quite nicely for that, probably in the end of 2 or beginning of 3. They need to introduce Guy Gardner in the second one as a backup lantern because Jordan is so brash and reckless, setting Gardner up as the hero in 3 when he has to go up against his former partner. They could still use Sinestro and Legion in a 3 pic arc like that, they’d introduce new heroes AND villains. Remember, “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” When I hear that, I actually feel the drama. It’s great cinema, no?
I’m kind of being selfish, because as much as I will always love Hal Jordan as being the first true Lantern (Screw Alan Scott, he used magic. That’s lame. And wood? Come on man, Ryan, you know that is lame!) I will always have a soft spot for Gardner, and I’ve thought it would be great to see the hero become the villain, TDK did it to perfection. It just adds so much more drama, and the various “forms” that Jordan has taken, which shall remain nameless for the non-fans but Ryan you know who I’m talking about, that would be so cool to see. They could banish Sinestro in the end of the second one, and they’d leave him open for either 4,5,or 6 similar to how you said, and they could do the whole Sinestro Corps War storyline. That would be freaking sweet!
Ryan, would your idea open the door for future lanterns for earth’s sector, and if so, who would you choose? Please don’t say Stewart! I must say, props to you Ryan, you clearly have an affinity for the character. Green Lantern is my absolute favorite DC character, and 3rd fav in all of comics (behind Deadpool and Iron Man, respectively)
March 7, 2009
#3
The success of this film depends on the casting.
March 7, 2009
#4
I’m still holding out hope for Ryan Gosling. He looks the part (if he added a little bulk, not nearly as much as Yelchin would have too and he still wouldn’t look like Hal Jordan) and Gosling is a fine actor. He really could do an amazing job in the film.
March 8, 2009
#5
@790, this is true with almost any film. Good call.
March 8, 2009
#6
From Producer Donald DeLine, who is working on the upcoming Green Lantern film. You guys may find this interesting:
“Our story is the Hal Jordan origin story, but creating the character of Hal Jordan that is a real character that will resonate with the fanbase is what we need to do. You have to make him credible and somebody to care about and tell a good story, and I think if we do that, we’ll be okay. It’s going to be a series of big stakes and big action, but it absolutely has a sense of humor,” he replied when asked about the humor quotient of the movie. “I think people accept real life, even with really serious situations, with humor as part of that situation, as we experience in life, you have to have that. That’s how people cope, so they’ve done it so well in these other movies. I think that people are absolutely ready. It doesn’t have to fall on one side of the fence vs. the other.”
When asked specifically about Anton Yelchin and/or casting Hal Jordan young (one of my biggest fears!)
“Not really, late ’20s, early ’30s.”
Cool!
October 30, 2009
#7
The success of this film depends on the casting.