here’s the thing: this Green Lantern film is going to be HUGE

So, at the behest of some of my more loyal readers, I have finally taken the time (out of my incredible busy life… har) to get to know the Green Lantern just a little bit better than I did for that last article I posted about him (read it here.)  And, before I ramble on and on, let me cut to the chase:  This movie is going to be HUGE.

Getting to know Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps. So I started off by reading the Sinestro Corps War series.  And although it wasn’t as character driven as most comics I like (remember, I’m a huge Batman and Superman fan) it was bad-ass epic and, by the end of it, a great introduction to the Green Lantern mythos.  Expect a more detailed review of the series sometime soon.  Next, I watched the animated feature Green Lantern: First Flight.  And about half-way through is when I realized the live-action movie is going to be HUGE.  The kids are going to love it.  My friends are going to love it.  My parents are going to love it.  Hell, I bet my dog will be wearing a Green Lantern costume next Halloween.

Warner Brothers has a monster franchise on their hands. I don’t recall a movie franchise with so much potential… with such little baggage.  The new Star Trek series has potential… the characters can go anywhere in the universe and meet (fight) any kind of creature…  but it’s still bogged down by the fact that it’s a reboot (i.e. baggage.)  It has a loyal fan-base it needs to appease and not piss (entirely) off.  The beauty about Green Lantern is that it can go balls-crazy-sci-fi and not tick anybody off.  Entire movies can take place off Earth and nobody will shed a tear for poor ol’ Coast City.  You can’t do that with Batman or Superman, certainly not in a stand-alone film.  Batman is Gotham City… there’s no way around it.  And Superman, despite being an alien, is too tied to Metropolis… and Lois Lane.  Fans know it and expect it.  It’s like Han and Leia.  Simply put: you can’t have Superman without Lois. Baggage.

Even The Avengers seem tied to Earth… I don’t see Tony Stark traveling to distant planets.  I don’t see Hulk floating around in a space suit.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the Avengers film won’t entertain… but Green Lantern has the potential to have an intergalactic showdown the likes of which we have never seen.  Even Star Wars was governed by it’s own laws of physics.  Sure there was the Death Star…. but the Green Lantern universe can have entire sentient planets battling each other.  I mean, how cool is Mogo?!  The only other current movie franchise that comes close to having as little baggage is Avatar.  But already, that universe is  bogged down by it’s established physics.  I don’t expect Jack Sully to hop around other dimensions anytime soon.  And I don’t expect a villain like the Anti-Monitor to pop up, eating the very existence of their universe.

So.  Yeah.  I’m excited about it. Here’s to hoping they don’t squander the opportunity.  More to come……..

Thoughts?