Campbell is in early discussions to direct a big-screen reboot of the 1980′s Lee Majors action series. The story centers on a stunt guy who is also a bounty hunter who hangs out with a nerd and a hot chick. GO PICTURE! The project has been in development since 2003 but now has Thor and X-Men: First Class writers Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz on scripting duties. Oh good. At least the script will be implausible and ridiculous. (Deadline)

The film opens with an explanation of the guardians and will power constructs. There’s still no other way to explain this crazy mythology than flat out exposition. A little more is explained as Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) trains on Oa so he’s ready to fight the Parallax, a creature using fear as its power source.

New ‘Green Lantern’ Trailer Lays It All Out For You

The will power constructs are intricate and clever. That’s really the victory of creative screenwriting, to say “instead of just green energy blasts, what temporary devices could we use to have this guy beat that guy?” Even constructs as simple as swords are meaningful as an homage to the classical duel.

A thrilling air sequence spells out Hal’s personality. His rogue tactics are cool in a training exercise, since it’s hypothetical. Wouldn’t be so cool if real lives were at risk. It spells out all the conflicts between fearless Hal and by the books Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), but it’s a fun Bruckheimer style Top Gun sequence.

It’s simple fun. That’s okay, but we do like our superheroes to have a little metaphor. Jordan ultimately gets to the value of admitting fear, but it really stays on the surface of the whole will vs. fear debate. Maybe in the sequel. It’s more fun than Thor, because the constructs are just more fun to watch than big dudes hitting each other.

8 photosBlake Lively

I was worried that Green Lantern would be inaccessible since it’s all in space with aliens. If anything, the movie spends too much time on earth. There’s not much epic space battle at all. The rescues and battles on earth are fine but the “character” scenes sort of force contrived human moments in there. They want to have fun with the powers and be romantic, but it feels like screenplay template.

Maybe the biggest component that’s missing is that earth really has no say in this. Hal decides whether or not to join the guardians and the guardians debate sacrificing earth to Parallax, but earth never speaks up. Earth doesn’t even know what’s going on? They see a few disasters but that’s just a reaction shot while other forces control the plot of the film. Hal doesn’t even get to experience the superhero phenomenon, since nobody he rescues really comments on it.

So Green Lantern doesn’t make me a comic book fan, but as a “superhero saves the world” movie, it’s fun. Sinestro (Mark Strong) brings it, lending gravitas to the formula. Hector (Peter Sarsgaard) is the typical mad scientist with new power, but Sarsgaard makes him really weird and uncomfortable to watch. The film is a mixed bag, but the joyful spectacle wins out.

I always thought Green Lantern would be a tough one to do as a film, because you’re not just talking about a guy getting superpowers. You’re talking about aliens in space and mental constructs. The footage screened at WonderCon answered my question and won me over to making this comic book a reality.

It opens with characters in space with Albin Sur running around a spaceship talking to a crackly hologram of Sinestro. Their musclely heads look a little like Hellraiser but they’re supposed to look like that. No one’s in pain. Albin bounces around the shi fighting the Parallax monster, and that’s all the special effecty CGI you imagine. Albin is fast and moves to his escape pod quickly, but that’s not the extraordinary part.

Albin lands and gives Hal the ring. Ryan Reynolds gets to make a joke about Albin’s purple blood before his corps solidifies. He also gets to make a joke improvising the oath Albin told him to say to the lantern. The magic happens when the lantern intuitively teaches Hal the correct oath. Hal speaks it correctly, nobly and flies through space with a protective coating of green shield.

As soon as he arrives on Oa, he’s suited up. The green suit looks totally real, and Hal can’t help but strut. Tomar-Re even scolds Hal for showboating, as if he’s used to it from the new guards. Hal calls Tomar-Re a talking fish but it quickly answers the questions about his translation utility.

Once we’re on Oa, you believe that Hal Jordan from our earth is walking around with aliens dealing with real issues. That’s in a few minutes of clips, so a 20 minute first act ought to really segue nicely. The backgrounds and crowd shots still look like CGI and green screen. I mean, we’ve seen fishy guys and hordes of followers in the distance, but the tone is “we all believe this sincerely.”

The only Hal Jordan construct they showed was the ethereal green gattling machine gun from the sizzle reel. That’s the money shot for June 17.

Tomar-Re is a scientist who regularly teams up with Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern as part of the Green Lantern Corps. You can see him in the pic above, looking scientifically concerned. Hopefully he’s working diligently in the lab to come up with a catch phrase, like “badda-blam” or “that’s ab-ab-ab-absurd.” Maybe he already has one, but I never read Green Lantern comics and my limited internet research has revealed nothing but hilarious cosplay photos.

Green Lantern is directed by Casino Royale‘s Martin Campbell. (Deadline)

_{Sounds like Blake’s starring in softcore porn.}

Warner Bros. dropped these new teaser character posters for Green Lantern. They’re not unlike Power Rangers in the sense that if you put them together they form one gigantic poster that can do battle with other gigantic posters. Personally though, I think the Blake Lively poster alone should bring all other marketing materials to its knees.

Check out the posters after the jump…

(/Film)

You nerds wanna see a dead body? There’s one over by the water in San Diego.

The sickos at Warner Bros have shipped over the corpse of Abin Sur as part of their Green Lantern exhibit. As previously reported, Abin Sur is the alien predecessor to Ryan Reynold’s Lantern, who gives him his awesome power-ring. And it also makes them married. Sorry! No take-backs!!

It’s said that this prop was used during filming, and the detail is amazing. What is with Ryan Reynolds and coffins lately? Between this, Buried, and R.I.P.D., dude is likely to turn into Nicolas Cage. We’ll need to monitor his hairline for the foreseeable future to be safe. (/Film)

I just assumed Green Lantern would tell the story of a test pilot who finds a ring that grants him fantastic powers. CBM got the official synopsis and it’s so much more than that. Just kidding. It’s still about a guy who finds a ring. Why am I posting this? I think the more important question is why am I not at a barbeque?? Let’s have those two questions answer one another.

FULL SYNOPSIS AND CAST AND CREW DETAILS AFTER THE JUMP…

‘Bringing the enduringly popular superhero to the big screen for the first time, “Green Lantern” stars Ryan Reynolds (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine”) in the title role, under the direction of Martin Campbell (“Casino Royale”).

The film is currently scheduled for release in 3D and 2D on June 17, 2011. “Green Lantern” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. ‘

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What a week it’s turning out to be for men attracted to holograms.  On Monday came news that Amber Heard would be popping out above moviegoers when Drive Angry hits the screen in 3D, and today we got the word that the Warner Brosefs will present Martin Campbell’s Green Lantern stereoscopically. That means we’ll all be one step closer to the highly-desired Blake Lively motorboat. The science is almost there!!

Though filming has yet to begin, it’ unknown whether or not the production will shoot with 3D-outfitted cameras or if that look will be added in post. What I do know is if this trend persists, masturbation in the future will be bad for your eyes for two reasons. (Box Office Mojo)

The attractiveness of castmembers for Martin Campbell‘s upcoming Green Lantern is no longer in jeopardy. Reports last week that Jackie Earle Haley was the front-runner for the role of Sinestro have been debunked by the director. MTV asked Campbell about the Haley casting rumor and he responded,

"What? No. That ugly old thing?? No way. I’d sooner cast that hulk from Precious."

Well, he didn’t exactly say that. But he totally wanted to. You can tell. Check it out.

"No. That’s completely wrong. In fact, we’re in negotiations with Mark Strong to play Sinestro. He’s not only a wonderful actor, but he looks like Sinestro. If you look up old pictures of Sinestro, he’s very like him. The Jackie Earle Haley thing, somebody told me about it this morning; I had never heard it before in my life."

Mark Strong is on a hot streak. Between Sherlock Holmes, Kick-Ass, and Green Lantern (and rumored sequels), he’ll be Hollywood’s official villian (behind Jeff Zucker). Somewhere, Andy Garcia weeps. (MTV)

The success of Taken has prompted Hollywood to churn out more father-turned-Terminator flicks. In the funny accent tour-de-force Edge of Darkness, Mel Gibson stars as a Boston detective searching for answers in the murder of his daughter. Was she killed in an attempt on his life or does the reason behind her assassination go much deeper? Mel intends to find out by smashing every window, door, and face in Suffolk County. We haven’t seen Mel this riled up since he wanted his son back in Ransom.

Written by William Monahan (The Departed) and directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale), it seems to have a hint of Mel’s fingerprints on it as well. "Well you had better decide if you’re hanging on the cross or banging in the nails." I knew he couldn’t go 2:30 seconds without holy rolling! (Yahoo)