At the moment there are many names flying around for the role of the Green Lantern. People have mentioned Chris Pine and Matt Bomer, among a few others. However, there is only really one suggestion that I’m sure we can all agree with and that is Idris Elba as John Stewart Green Lantern.
1. Elba is one of the most accomplished actors in contemporary film and media today.
Idris Elba is a multi-award-winning actor whose presence is felt on-screen. He also looks the part.
2. Ryan Reynolds.
Nobody liked Reynolds’ portrayal of the Green Lantern. To erase the sins of the past, I feel DC has to abandon Hal Jordan and introduce John Stewart into the Justice League film. If the Justice League goes ahead with Hal Jordan, we will see a whitewash of a superhero team.
John Stewart is a veteran U.S. Marine. If you’ve recently seen Guillermo Del Toro’s Pacific Rim, you would have realised that he would do this role justice. Stacker Pentecost is by far the standout character.
Del Toro describes Idris as, “one of those actors that is capable of embodying humanity, in almost like a Rodin sculpture-type, larger than life, almost like a Russian realism statue, you know, big hands, all the turmoil of humanity in his eyes.”
Hal Jordan describes John Stewart as having a “chip on his shoulder bigger than the rock of Gibraltar.” One cannot help but feel that the Green Lantern role is somewhat made for Idris Elba.
3. Idris Elba is a real-life hero.
In 2009, the Prince’s Trust appointed him as the anti-crime ambassador. Idris credits this appointment with helping him to start his career in the big leagues.
4. We have not seen a superhero of African descent in quite a while.
We haven’t had a black superhero since Michael Jai White was Spawn and Wesley Snipes was Blade. Marvel looks as though they will be adding more colour to their ranks with Falcon, in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Johnny Storm being made African-American is on the cards too. It would be wise for DC to add a bit of colour into their team.
5. He has women weak at the knees.
If DC is worried about losing out on the market without Reynolds, they will get an even bigger return if they bank on Elba, as the actor was named as one of the Sexiest Men alive last year. He was even considered to be cast as the first black James Bond 007.
As long as he is not Batman its all good.
Agreed, call me a traditionalist but Batman needs to be of Caucasian Decent
“Nobody liked Reynolds’ portrayal of the Green Lantern.” I disagree. It wasn’t Reynolds portrayal, it was the script, and the script alone. Reynolds is Hal Jordan, through and through.
What you are trying to do is suggest that DC should bring in a character that has absolutely nothing to do with the green lantern universe. Reason being, is because Geoff John’s wrote it with Hal Jordan in mind. So to start with a character now, that has yet to make any impact in the universe, is a very, very risky idea.
A character that has nothing to do with the Green Lantern Universe? John Stewart is the Green Lantern just as much as Hal Jordan is. For most people who aren’t white, we grew up believing that the Green Lantern was a black guy. When the new movie came out some of us were like why Hal? We want John Stewart. I don’t care if Elba doesn’t play the character but the next green lantern should be John Stewart.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stewart_(comics)
Please look at that. That gives you the basic rundown on him. Now tell me why Warner Brothers would want to invest in a character who the general public has no clue about. Money is what talks, and I am afraid your theory is flawed due to the popularity, and the stand that John Stewart has in the DC Universe.
Fact is fact, Hal Jordan plays a far more integral part in the universe, therefore it was an obvious choice.
To quote wiki (from the link you sent): IGN ranked John Stewart as the 55th greatest comic book hero of all time describing him as one of the first dominant African-American heroes in the pages of DC Comics; IGN also stated that John Stewart has gone from “semi-obscurity in the mainstream to absolute recognition” thanks to his starring role in the acclaimed Justice League cartoons.
Sure Hal Jordan is more popular. But that doesn’t mean John Stewart isn’t.
Growing up i really like Kyle Rayner Green Lantern, then I gravitated towards John Stewart as I got older. Let’s think about this realistically. To think that a John Stewart Idris Elba would get Warner interested is rather absurd, I did not appreciate Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern, it has nothing to do with script. When you pay for Reynolds what you get is Reynolds and he is not near as talented as Idris. Also the Flash can provide comic relief in the JLA film we do not need two comic relief aspects. I think a strong person of colour will do great in that Universe and Idris Elba sells. We cannot have a white wash,, give the young bloods someone to believe in and look up to.
Agreed.
He can’t be the Green Lantern! He is going to be The Black Panther! At least I hope he is…
Did you miss the entire run of the Justice League and Justice League unltd? That was one of the most recent and undoubtedly longest depiction of the character on screen. not to mention its run during the early to late 2000’s place it right in the forefront of the young-ish audiences who are likely to see this film. Your insistence to the contrary simply makes it seem as if you have some problem with a character of color being depicted in this film.
If the Justice League movie is going to be how its formed and founded then no the Green Lantern shouldnt be John Stewart. John Stewart is not, I repeat, is NOT a founding member of the Justice League, Hal Jordan is. If they decide to make the Justice League years after its formed then that would be confusing to others that have no knowledge of comics. Even if thats the case I would rather it be Guy Gardner then because he was actually in the Justice League, not a founding member but was still actually a member later on.
Your arguments are exactly to the point,but there is one slight problem it is relevant only to those who read comics.Besides John Stewart was pretty cool in the JL animated series.As far as an origin story is concerned John was damn perfect in the secret origins(the first episode of JL animated series).As far as i am concerned Idris Elba is real life John Stewart.I say bring him in and thus bring the much needed starpower into the JLA movie
Unlike many of the other Marvel actors, Idris is the whole package. OH PLEASE let it happen!