James Gunn has debunked an early rumor about Green Lantern in the DCU. The DC Studios co-CEO is also overseeing a Lanterns TV series, which will premiere later this year.
What Lanterns rumor did James Gunn debunk?
Before Superman was released, a strange rumor had fans wondering if James Gunn wanted Ryan Reynolds to reprise his Hal Jordan role in the DCU. The question arose when Gunn shared an anecdote about the first people who congratulated him on taking the reins of DC Studios. At the time, Gunn shared that he asked Reynolds if he wanted to reprise his role as Green Lantern again in the DCU. According to Gunn, Reynolds replied with a simple, “F— off!”
Gunn has now officially clarified that Reynolds was never actually seriously offered a part in Lanterns, and Reynolds’ reply was a tongue-in-cheek joke between friends. When asked by a fan whether Reynolds was ever actually offered the part, Gunn replied on Threads, “Not really. Ryan wrote to congratulate me the day I got the job and I jokingly asked him if he was ready to don the suit again and he jokingly responded.”
Ryan Reynolds played Hal Jordan in 2011’s Green Lantern feature film. Unfortunately, the film bombed at the box office, along with receiving scathing reviews. Since then, Reynolds has often poked fun at the film’s failure. Following that, Reynolds played Deadpool in the X-Men spin-offs, continuing the role until the character arrived in the MCU. Reynolds often provides updates on Deadpool 4, and fans are predicting that he will reprise the role in this year’s Avengers: Doomsday.
The DCU has since cast Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, who will portray a more experienced version of the character in the upcoming show. Lanterns will also introduce Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart to audiences, who will then reprise the role in next year’s Man of Tomorrow.
Lanterns will premiere on August 16, 2026, on HBO and HBO Max.
Originally reported by Rahul Majumdar on SuperHeroHype.com.
