Cannes Film Festival 2013

Our first great look at Mark Strong as Sinestro in 'Green Lantern'

The movie's looking more and more like a genre-bending dare from Warner Bros.

<p>Mark Strong is almost unrecognizable under the makeup as Sinestro in 'Green Lantern,' but he cuts an impressive figure</p>

Mark Strong is almost unrecognizable under the makeup as Sinestro in 'Green Lantern,' but he cuts an impressive figure

Credit: Warner Bros.

There's a reason I'm excited about this summer more than I have been about the last few waves of superhero movies.

It feels to me like we're about to turn a corner, like the studios have all done the basic real-world origin story and supervillain story about as much as they can do it.  More than they reasonably should have done it, actually.  And it's time for the genre to either evolve or evaporate, so they're finally making the jump to the outrageous.

This summer, we're going to Asgard for the first time.

This summer, the Red Skull's chasing the Cosmic Cube around World War II.

And this summer, the Green Lantern Corps will gather on Oa.

I didn't think we'd ever get to the cosmic space opera comic books.  It seemed to me like the decision-makers were all guys like Tom Rothman, guys who made decisions on franchises like "X-Men" based on personal feelings about things like giant robots, decisions that were also financial as much as creative, decisions that kept superhero films earthbound and somewhat contained.

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Looking at that photo of Mark Strong as Sinestro, though, I have to say this about "Green Lantern":  they're going for it.  They aren't shying away from anything.  He's perfect.  He's a bright red John Waters.  What else can anyone ask for from Sinestro?

The thing is, the background of that picture makes me as happy as the foreground, with the implication that they're in some alien environment.  This is what I want from a "Green Lantern" movie.  Giant space opera.  I want adventures out there in the Universe somewhere with alien races.  "Star Wars" with power rings.  That's the freedom the series gives you, and it is amazing how much it looks like they've embraced it.

The real question isn't whether Warner Bros. has the balls to make a real "Green Lantern" movie… not anymore.  Now it's whether or not the public is really ready to make that jump.  When Hal Jordan leaves Earth, will the audience go with him?

Man, I hope so.  Anything that pushes genre filmmaking towards the fantastic is a welcome development in my book.  If we could take a decade or two off from using the terms "gritty" or "realistic" regarding fantasy, it would be a delight.

The image here originally appeared on this European site, and has since been reproduced pretty much everywhere in the span of about three hours.  Viva la Internet.

"Green Lantern" opens in theaters everywhere 2011.

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  • Bring it. I know the response to the trailer was mixed, but I think this looks plain colorful and fun. Like Iron Man with aliens. I want more alien planets in my movies.

    January 13, 2011 at 2:20AM EST Reply to Comment
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    John Smith

    Why is the guy who wrote this article talking as though he never saw the Green Lantern trailer?

    January 13, 2011 at 2:25AM EST Reply to Comment
    • Trust me. He has.

      January 13, 2011 at 3:21AM EST
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      John Smith Then there's no reason to say "When Hal Jordan leaves Earth, will the audience go with him?" If he is speaking in literal terms, then the trailer answers the question: Yes, we do. It seems like this article should have been written a month ago.

      January 13, 2011 at 5:33PM EST
    • I don't think Drew is speaking in literal terms. I think he means "will movie audiences be interested in a comic book space opera?"

      January 13, 2011 at 6:43PM EST
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    GuanoLad

    The problem is they're now dipping into the lesser known Superheroes. The fans of comic books are familiar, but the wider audience aren't, and if they're too inaccessible a concept, there's a big risk of failure.

    I'm not a superhero fan at all, but I can relate to the familiar figureheads like Spider-Man and Batman. However, X-Men I was mostly unfamiliar with, but the stories were something easy to latch on to. Same with Iron Man. Now I look at the trailers of Green Lantern and Thor and I am turned off by how silly it all looks.

    January 13, 2011 at 4:05AM EST Reply to Comment
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    Bret Weir

    "This European site". Would it have killed you to name them? Cineheroes. Drew McDouchey clearly feels they are too beneath him to give any credit to.

    January 13, 2011 at 5:15AM EST Reply to Comment
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    drew

    Yes, that's right, Bret. You figured me out. That link I ran to their site was part of an elaborate plan to make sure no one knew where I found the photos.

    January 13, 2011 at 7:42AM EST Reply to Comment
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      Bret Weir lol, linking is one thing but why not name the site?

      January 13, 2011 at 8:35AM EST
    • Of course you could always just click the link, or hover over the link to see what the site is, but that would deprive you of the fun of being a troll.

      January 13, 2011 at 5:29PM EST


  • See, this image and other concept art they are showing really piques me up... but that trailer is still hard to shake off. You know, they may be going all space opera and stuff with the movie but the core outline of the young cocky playboy finding his inner sense of responsibility and all feel a bit worn. Heck, the trailer had scenes that practically *echoed* of similar scenes from Iron Man etc.

    January 13, 2011 at 8:06AM EST Reply to Comment
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    Sean

    That picture went public in GREEN LANTERN #60, a month ago. Every month they're running a new pic.

    January 13, 2011 at 10:19AM EST Reply to Comment
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    Late2TheParty

    Perhaps tomorrow we can get an article with an image of Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury!

    January 13, 2011 at 4:10PM EST Reply to Comment

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