James Gunn Jokingly Offered Ryan Reynolds the Chance to Reprise His Green Lantern Role

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As a seasoned moviegoer with a penchant for comic book adaptations and a soft spot for underdog stories, let me share my two cents on the topic at hand. Green Lantern, despite its glaring flaws, was a missed opportunity that left a sour taste in many fans’ mouths. However, it seems that Ryan Reynolds, much like a phoenix, has risen from the ashes of this cinematic catastrophe and found redemption through his portrayal of Deadpool.

In the realm of DC film productions, one massive flop that stands out is undoubtedly ‘s dismal performance. Interestingly enough, Ryan Reynolds was offered a chance to make amends for this, not within his outstanding Deadpool 2 post-credits scene, but by none other than . Remarkably, the proposition was made in an unconventional manner, yet still with a hint of seriousness. However, Reynolds, as one would expect from him, declined the offer in an NSFW fashion that was characteristic of his style.

In an interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, James Gunn shared a conversation he had with Ryan Reynolds following his appointment as co-CEO of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran. As the Guardians of the Galaxy director explained, he playfully proposed to Reynolds that he rejoin DC as Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern character from Martin Campbell’s unsuccessful 2011 film, using the power ring.

Ryan wasn’t interested at all. Upon getting my new job, one of the first people I spoke to was Ryan Reynolds. I jokingly asked him if he would return, and his response was more or less, ‘Leave me alone!’

Gunn understands that bringing back Reynolds to play his old character could significantly impact his DC Universe, potentially making it seem like a wink to the past and possibly undermining the new franchise from the get-go. Given the struggles faced by the DCEU, it’s easy to see why such a risk isn’t desirable.

Ryan Reynolds and James Gunn Have Had Huge Superhero Success

Ever since the 2011 debacle with Green Lantern, Reynolds has experienced remarkable success playing the Marvel anti-hero Deadpool. At one time, it appeared as though his superhero roles would forever be associated with failure, following his less than impressive appearances in Blade Trinity (widely regarded as the worst of the Wesley Snipes trilogy) and his poorly received portrayal of Wade Wilson in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. However, Reynolds’ debut as Deadpool in 2016 marked a significant turnaround for his comic book career. This year, Deadpool & Wolverine has become one of Marvel Studios’ most impressive successes in recent years, shattering records and earning reviews that the MCU might not match for a couple of years.

Speaking as a film enthusiast, I must admit that James Gunn’s star has only risen higher in the realm of comic book adaptations. The phenomenal triumph of his Guardians of the Galaxy series – with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 shining brightly amidst Marvel Studios’ gloomy 2023 cinematic downfall – and his masterful work on The Suicide Squad, leaves me in no doubt that he is the ideal choice to spearhead the resurrection of DC’s on-screen universe.

Under his leadership at DCU, his initial project led to the highly-anticipated debut of the animated “Creature Commandos” series on Max, receiving a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Although the real proof will come with Gunn’s “Superman” film in 2025 (which he both wrote and directed), the sheer boldness of this filmmaker to kick off the new franchise by launching an animated TV series featuring lesser-known characters has already piqued curiosity among many about what lies ahead.

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2024-12-07 22:03