Well, as you probably know, the big news this weekend was the report that Ryan Reynolds broke from a three-way race to assume the mantle and power ring of Hal Jordan. And while the rest of the film is still being shrouded in secrecy, we at Newsarama have decided to put our casting eye to the test, and give our list of who should play the numerous characters in the franchise’s inaugural film.

Considering it’s clear that an origin story will be in the offing here, we’ve based this list on Geoff Johns’ Secret Origins book, which gives a great character-based introduction to the entire Green Lantern mythos. (So sorry, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, and Kyle Rayner fans, no love in this list just yet — perhaps in a follow-up.) While this list is subjective and clearly just for fun, we encourage you to give your thoughts in the comments box below! Good, bad, ugly? Let us hear it, as we cast off for Green Lantern!

Hal Jordan - Ryan Reynolds: Well, this one is easy enough to start with — he’s already been picked! Ryan Reynolds has the sort of All-American look that Bradley Cooper did not, as well as the sort of rugged machismo that Justin Timberlake just hasn’t grown into yet. The only question — whether or not he can keep his sense of humor in check. But with Martin Campbell behind the wheel, I’m confident Reynolds will morph into the hero he’s always known he could be, as the ring-slinging Hal Jordan.

Carol Ferris - Maggie Siff: Say it with me now: “Mr. Jordan, you know I don’t date employees.” Balancing on the fine line between beautiful snob and struggling business owner, Maggie Siff has the class (Mad Men) and the conflict (Sons of Anarchy) to be the one true love of Hal Jordan. Don’t believe me? Check her out here and here.

Sinestro - Hugh Laurie: With his biting wit, his unmatched tactical prowess, and above all his unwavering sense of self-confidence, there are few that could make Sinestro a three-dimensional character better than Hugh Laurie. As the man portraying the titular character House would fully understand, it takes a special kind of man to see his ambitions to the end, regardless of the rules. If Hugh was picked for this role, expect a Heath Ledger-style of rock solid performance.

The Guardians - Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench: When you condense all the wisdom in the known universe, you want some heavy hitters to assume the role. Some CGI could duplicate Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench a hundredfold, as the enigmatic Guardians of Oa. Plus, Dench already has a working relationship with Campbell, having performed in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace as M.

Tom Kalmaku - John Cho: Tom Kalmaku, known in less progressive times as “Pieface,” has been the Jimmy Olsen to Hal Jordan’s Clark Kent — a confidant, a friend, and someone who can pull Hal Jordan out of some of the problems of his own making when it comes to Carol Ferris. Yet in this case, you also need someone who can be funny, in order to keep Reynolds in line — with that bit of charisma and humor needed, John Cho of Harold and Kumar is perfect.

Arisia - Jewel Staite: She may only look sixteen, but in fact she comes from a world where one year is like 240 for us. But Arisia has always been known as the most innocent and charming of the Green Lantern Corps, and that’s why it’s no surprise that Jewel Staite — who captured our hearts as adorable characters in shows ranging from Firefly to Space Cases — should take to the skies with her very own power ring.

Abin Sur - Liam Neeson: The voice alone makes the pick — who else could sound so heroic and tragic at the same time? Forget that he was Ra’s Al Ghul in Batman Begins, and imagine him as completely bald with no beard, and you have youself Abin Sur, whose voice rang through Hal Jordan’s head: “You are a man that will overcome great fear. Hal Jordan of Earth. Do you accept this duty?”

Tomar Re - Peter Jacobson: Another pick based on voice, although Jacobson could actually play the role with prostheses. Peter Jacobson has an everyman quality as Dr. Chris Taub in House, one that is desperately needed for Tomar Re, Hal Jordan’s “neighbor” in nearby Sector 2813. This is a guy who is a welcome foil for Jordan, his Tom Kalamaku in Space, so to speak, so having this sort of warm voice that conveys emotion is perfect.

Salaak - Alan Rickman: Come on, have you ever thought of Salaak being played by anybody else? The sadonic tone to this multi-armed alien is palpable — he is the Green Lantern Corps’ version of Severus Snape. Need help to get your imagination in gear for this CGI voice pick? Click here, readers!

Kilowog - Vin Diesel: Kilowog is a tough guy with a sardonic sense of humor, as he trains his charges to fight in the frontlines of intergalactic crime. Imagine Vin Diesel yelling out “ya poozer!” for a CGI behemoth. Need help? Click here.

Hector Hammond - David Thewlis: The one-time Remus Lupis creeped us all out in the Island of Dr. Moreau. He would be perfect as Carol Ferris’ pathetic, ill-fated stalker, whose exposure to a meteorite gives him unbridled telepathic and telekinetic abilities, even as it makes his head too bloated and distended to carry on his own neck without some sort of assistance.

Black Hand - Wes Bentley: Let’s ignore Ghost Rider for a minute, and focus on the fact that Wes Bentley can pull a convincing creepshow with no problem. Look at American Beauty! It’s his pale, dead look — along with a school shooter sort of mentality set by the director — that would make Bentley a great pick for Black Hand, the one-time minor threat whose curiosity for death became a soul-twisting nightmare.

Atrocitus - Rodrigo Santoro: Whatever they did to make Santoro’s voice in Xerxes in 300, it needs to happen again for Atrocitus. This is a CGI style creature who sounds nothing like a normal human, whose fury will come to haunt the Green Lantern Corps in further adventures.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 13th, 2009 at 10:57 am and is filed under DC Comics, Movies, News & Views. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.