Should Hal Jordan in DCU Be Portrayed as Older?

James Gunn and Peter Safran are steering the DC Universe towards substantial growth in the coming years, with an array of movies and television shows inspired by the publisher’s iconic characters. The first new television series under this refreshed vision will be “Lanterns,” a live-action series based on the Green Lantern mythos. This series is being written and produced by notable talents Damon Lindelof, Tom King, and Chris Mundy. On Monday, potential casting details emerged, with multiple reports indicating that Josh Brolin, famous for his roles as Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Cable in Fox’s X-Men Universe, and Jonah Hex in Warner Bros.’ 2010 film, has been offered the role of Hal Jordan / Green Lantern.

While these reports are still unconfirmed and neither Gunn nor anyone else directly involved has addressed them, the rumors suggest an interesting direction for the character. The possibility of casting the 56-year-old Brolin offers insights into the age range DC Studios might be considering for Hal Jordan. This raises the question of whether Hal should be introduced as an older character in this new DCU compared to his traditionally youthful portrayal in the comics.

The ages of comic book characters are often left vague, thanks to the “sliding scale” that allows them to appear in stories spanning numerous decades. However, Hal Jordan is typically depicted as being in his twenties or thirties, especially in his origin story of becoming a test pilot and accidentally being chosen as the next Green Lantern. Exceptions do exist, such as the “Green Lantern: Earth One” series, which seems to portray Hal as slightly older, and his tenure as Parallax, during which he had silver hair at the temples. Despite these exceptions, fans usually imagine Hal as being in his prime, similar to other Justice League members.

There have been various attempts in the past to cast Hal Jordan as an older, more seasoned character. Actors like Mark Wahlberg and Tom Cruise have been rumored or suggested for the part in previous Green Lantern projects. While these suggestions never materialized, they were logical in a sense. An older Hal could be a contemporary to more established heroes in the DCEU, underscore the age difference between him and fellow Green Lantern John Stewart, and differentiate from the Day One origin story presented in Ryan Reynolds’ 2011 “Green Lantern” movie.

In the context of Gunn and Safran’s new DCU, it’s worth questioning whether these same objectives still apply. The casting choices so far show a range of ages, with David Corenswet’s Superman falling somewhere in his late 20s or early 30s. The Green Lantern casting we’ve seen so far, like Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, also leans older than the comic portrayals. If Hal were to be portrayed in his 40s or 50s, it could enrich his backstory but at the cost of showing some classic storylines unfold onscreen. It could also alter his dynamic with John Stewart, shifting from a slight difference in age and experiences to a more pronounced generational gap.

The idea of distancing the new Green Lantern project from the 2011 movie is another facet worth considering. While the critical and financial failure of the 2011 film is widely recognized, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a new live-action Hal Jordan needs to be drastically different. Over time, audiences remember the film’s reputation and the jokes in Reynolds’ “Deadpool” movies more than the specifics of “Green Lantern.” Therefore, a modern take on Hal Jordan that remains true to his early days wouldn’t necessarily retread old ground but could instead be an opportunity to get it right this time. As noted in Patrick H. Willems’ 2018 video discussing modern adaptations of “Robin Hood” and “King Arthur,” subverting something general audiences aren’t deeply familiar with may not be necessary.

However, many aspects of the potential casting for DCU’s Hal Jordan remain uncertain. Much depends on how the wider franchise history unfolds, what the team dynamics of the Justice League are, and what role Hal might play in Gunn and Safran’s overarching narrative. Lindelof’s past work, such as his masterful follow-up on the DC superhero Laurie Blake / Silk Spectre in “Watchmen,” shows his capability to handle superheroes long after their prime. As this story progresses, we’ll need to stay tuned to see the future of Hal Jordan and which actor eventually takes on the iconic role.

Source: Multiple Sources