July 16, 2004

In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night...Aw, damn!

Cover image of October's Green Lantern: Rebirth #1
Comic book movies have hit their stride as serious, albeit fantastical, entertainment. Spider-Man 2 is the number one motion picture in the nation this week, and is arguably the pinnacle of the genre.

But when you think all is right in the world, someone comes along and takes a whiz in the punch.

According to Moriarty at AintItCool, Jack Black will be playing Green Lantern in a "zany comedy version a la THE MASK."

As I understand it, DC Comics tried desperately to dodge this bullet, but ultimately, they don’t have the right to veto something if Warner Bros. really wants to make it happen. This is the problem with the way DC’s deal with their corporate overlords is structured. Their hands are tied. As much as they are aware of the problem with this approach to the material, they just have to sit back and watch it happen along with fans of the character and the rich mythology that has been established over the long run of the various GREEN LANTERN titles.

I like Jack Black. I really do. I’m dying to see what he does in KING KONG because I trust the director and the rest of the creative team, and I have a feeling they’ll find the right way to harness his energy. But this GREEN LANTERN gives me gas right away. Maybe I’ll be proven wrong. Maybe they’ll find a way to make it funny without totally trashing everything that’s ever made the title great. And maybe this’ll be exactly as godawful as it sounds. Either way, this one just passed from “rumor” to “confirmed news,” so brace yourselves, comic fans. It’s coming...

We just got rid of the notion of McG destroying Superman; I just found out that Hal Jordan is taking back the ring in GL: Rebirth and then all of a sudden we've got this.

Just damn.

Posted by mhking at July 16, 2004 06:50 PM
Comments

I never thought of GL as being as dark as Batman but I didn't think he was a joke fest either. I hope they don't trash it. Heck GL has a lot of different ways it could go...but comady along the lines of the mask isn't it.

Now if they would just come out with a film noire version of "The Shadow"....That would be cool (and not campy either).

Posted by: Guy S. at July 17, 2004 12:12 AM

I've always thought that a GL movie, Hal Jordan, Kyle Raynor or (preferably) John Stewart could be fantastic, a combination of super-hero and space opera. The visuals alone, if done right, could be worth the price of admission. This debacle in the making is intolerable.

Posted by: frinklin at July 17, 2004 04:25 AM

Aw jeez! I like Jack Black, but really.

Personally, I have long had in my head the notion of a good Green Arrow film being possible. People I've mentioned it to generally don't agree.

Posted by: Jay Solo at July 17, 2004 10:35 AM

I totally agree about Green Arrow. Base it on the Mike Grell work like Longbow Hunters and it would be terrific

Posted by: frinklin at July 17, 2004 04:24 PM

I could see Black playing Guy Gardner.

Posted by: Gib at July 18, 2004 05:32 PM
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