Following Ryan Reynolds failed incarnation of the Green Lantern in the comic's 2011 cinematic debut, it is high time that DC takes another shot at adapting the character to the big screen. Due to the overwhelming success of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy in the 2010s, DC has continued to lean into gritty realism as a means of depicting the complex and flawed characters relayed in their comic narratives. However, as DC continues to add new superhero characters to their cinematic roster, directors should begin to experiment with different genres more befitting of their characters. In the case of Green Lantern, DC should use their second chance to lean into scary, Lovecraftian action.
Green Lantern is the story of a regular human being who is suddenly thrust into an intergalactic organization beyond his wildest imagination. Instead of leaning into gritty realism, DC should use this unique opportunity to employ a new genre that would reflect the feelings of confusion and disillusionment that this experience would cause.
Now more than ever, horror is a malleable genre. In 2017 Jordan Peel spearheaded the return of the social horror film with his Oscar-winning feature, Get Out. Since then, Ari Aster has invoked elements of social horror, absurdism, and comedy into his box-office hits, Hereditary and Midsommer. With reports of Marvel hiring auteur directors such as Chloe Zhao to helm future films, DC should follow suit with young horror directors who could add an element of suspense and fantasy to the franchise.
Lovecraftian horror is defined by the fear of the unknown over its use of gore or emphasis on shock value. Hal Jordan's journey from average earthling to intergalactic hero is precisely defined by his fear of the unknown. What makes Jordan unique and worthy of wearing the Green Lantern ring is not his absence of fear, but rather his ability to overcome this fear in order to bravely pursue his dreams and eventually, save humanity. After losing his father in a tragic plane crash as a young child, Jordan pushes past his fear of flying to become a pilot himself. As an adult, Jordan continues to test the limits of his mortality by working as a military test pilot and is eventually chosen by Abin Sur (a former Green Lantern) to replace him in the Green Lantern Corps.
A large portion of Jordan's comic origin story then takes place on the planet Oa, the hub of the Green Lantern Corps. Throughout Jordan's Green Lantern training he experiences more fear than he has ever known, testing the limits of his mental fortitude. Beyond the sheer overwhelming prospect that comes with being chosen as a savior of the galaxy, Jordan is immediately taken to an unknown planet with thousands of alien life forms he has never seen or even knew to exist.
In Martin Campbell's incarnation of Green Lantern, Oa is depicted as a murky planet filled with tall misshapen buildings and dark red, blue, and green hues. Rather than exploring Oa's scale and design, the planet is merely used as a backdrop, upon which Jordan learns to fly and harness his powers. In this way, Campbell fails to take advantage of Oa's overwhelming strangeness to exhibit Jordan's fear at this moment. In fact, before learning to fly Jordan seems a little nervous, but then immediately takes to the task with ease, seemingly amused by his novel surroundings.
While Jordan does not always need to be depicted in a state of paralyzed fear, his fear should be emphasized as something he genuinely needs to overcome in order to become a hero. Future filmmakers could also take advantage of the planet's scale and novelty to shock viewers into a state of awe. Moreover, the use of Lovecraftian horror could allow filmmakers to stylize the hero-flick in a way that aligns the film with other film masterpieces, so as to further distinguish itself from the generic superhero movie mold.
Currently, Green Lantern is returning to the small screen with HBO's announcement of a Green Lantern television series. The series will explore a variety of different Green Lantern characters, with each season focusing on a few members of the Green Lantern Corps. So far, it has been reported that season 1 will introduce Sinestro, Guy Gardner, Alan Scott, Jessica Cruz, Simon Baz, and Kilowog, along with other mystery Green Lanterns who have yet to be identified.
In terms of a return to the big screen, a Green Lantern Corps movie appears to be in development. However, the movie will not be rehashing Hal Jordan's origins, but rather will continue to explore his and John Stewart's narratives in line with the greater DC extended universe. As of late, not much is known about the project's narrative intentions. Only that it will spend far more time in the cosmos than on Earth. Audiences can only hope that DC will harness this cosmic opportunity to take the franchise in a new and exciting direction.