Ryan Reynolds says GREEN LANTERN will not be a Labored Origin Story
Ryan Reynolds is currently gearing up to star in Martin Campebell's feature adaptation of DC Comics' Green Lantern. We now know it was Campbell's vision and excitement for the movie that convinced a reluctant Reynolds to take on the role of Hal Jordan, a test pilot who receives a super-powered ring from a dying alien and becomes the Green Lantern.
Though the film will need to introduce the character to a mainstream audience for the first time, Reynolds shies away from labeling it an "origin story," as it looks to hit the ground running. He explained to MTV:
It is [an origin story] to a certain degree, but it's not a labored origin story, where the movie [truly] begins in the third act. The movie starts when it starts. We find out Hal is the guy fairly early on, and the adventure begins.
So the action will start out early on, but don't get the wrong idea. For those worried that the origin will get skipped over, he assures us that -- much like Robert Downey Jr.'s time spent out of Tony Stark's armor in Iron Man --some of the most memorable parts will take place when Hal isn't in costume:
I think you walk away from this first film, and the moments that you remember and the moments that mean so much to you, not unlike Iron Man, are the moments where the guy's not in the suit.
Reynolds admits that developing those moments amid the cosmic action central to Green Lantern is a daunting task:
That to me is the tough thing to get right. And that's something that they did get right [in 'Iron Man']. You see why this guy's in the suit, and that's what's interesting to me. Not that he is in the suit, but why?
I think Iron Man and Batman Begins both did a great job of giving you the right amount of action and origin before they ultimately put on their respective armor. I like that he references Iron Man's time out of the suit, and I completely agree that those were the most memorable and satisfying scenes in that film. Even if he gets the ring early on, he will still need plenty of time to adjust to his new powers. I have faith that Campbell will find the right balance. Campbell has a great track record with origin stories, introducing James Bond in Casino Royale, and Zorro with The Mask of Zorro.
Green Lantern is set to begin shooting next year.
What do you think of GREEN LANTERN not being a "laboring" origin story?