"Why isn't Green Lantern Black?"

[Hulk]

That is so SPECIESIST!!!

[madmarva]

What counts when making movies?

Getting butts in seats.

According to 2010 Census projections, 79.5 percent of the U.S. population with identify itself as white (64.7 percent as non-Hispanic white); 12.9 percent as black.

The choice is easy when you look at those numbers.

Certainly, those numbers won't hold up for the overseas box office, but U.S. action films do great around the world regardless of the race of the character.

No doubt, the JLU cartoon and the toys based on the cartoon gave John Stewart a level of recognition.

But to be honest, the cartoon network's audience was really pretty low.

Certainly, the article that Bleeding Cool ran is provocative, but that's all it is.

Unless Warner's wanted to pay Will Smith or Denzel Washington their price to star in the movie, which probably would be more for one film than what it will pay Reynolds for three, they made the right choice to go for the most recognizable version of the character currently both in comics and across all demographics.

That being said I'm glad Stewart's at least got a cameo in the film and like others wouldn't mind seeing him alongside Hal in future films.

However, I think this GL movies is going to be a tough sell with the general public. At the showing of the Harry Potter movie I attended, groans were audible during the GL trailer.

A co-worker who was not familiar with GL or comics also told me they couldn't see Reynolds in an action movie because he's always in comedies.

Now, that's a very limited sampling — if you can even call it that — but while Warners believes they have their Iron Man movie in Green Lantern, I'm beginning to think differently. Glowing green is just not as cool as red and gold armor.

Personally, I like Reynolds as a choice and I'm pumped about seeing a GL film, something I never thought I'd see, the trailer doesn't speak well for the film.

The first half of it plays like a Reynolds' romantic comedy and then the crazy super hero space stuff kicks in. It's really a mixed message to potential viewers.

Warner's needs to get it's message straight and decide what audience it wants to capture because the key to any marketing campaign is identifying who you are attempting sell to.

[aquatroy]

I hope to see John Stewart and Guy Gardner in this franchise, but if you are going with the GL Corps saga, you have to start with ...

Chris

Alan Scott!

[Hector]

At the showing of the Harry Potter movie I attended, groans were audible during the GL trailer.

...and I in turn groan at Harry Potter flicks...

[samurainoir]

What counts when making movies?

Getting butts in seats.

According to 2010 Census projections, 79.5 percent of the U.S. population with identify itself as white (64.7 percent as non-Hispanic white); 12.9 percent as black.

The choice is easy when you look at those numbers.

With respect madmarva, bringing in those percentages holds no water if you are suggesting that generally people are only drawn to movies with a star of their own ethnicity.

It's not like 12.9 percent of the population would have gone to a movie starring Eddie Murphy, Will Smith or Denzel Washington, and that their starring vehicles only have limited appeal and not the actual wide box office success that they have demonstrated across the spectrum.

But again, the argument isn't that this movie should star John Stewart, it's that there is an understandable perception out there amongst the younger twitter crowd that "The Green Lantern is Black", that could very easily be addressed in a sidebar in the next puff piece they run about Green Lantern in the Warner Bros owned Entertainment Weekly.

[BlackKnight]

...and I in turn groan at Harry Potter flicks...

I made it threw Half the 1st One .... Thats it. Them Movies are Crap .

[Hector]

Amen!

[david_b]

Haven't seen a SINGLE Harry Potter film...

Quite proud of that, actually.

david_b

[TrueDave]

Green Lantern isnt black because Will Smith was booked and everyones sick of Samuel L ( he's like Micheal Caine )

We need Ponceman Perry to play Guy Gardner : The Green Lantern who could be you, cause hes an *******

Interesting thread, The preview didnt look as bad as the stills. I just dont get into "cosmic magic Stuff" Thats why I liked Conan and Iron Man.

[boynightwing]

I made it threw Half the 1st One .... Thats it. Them Movies are Crap .

They get progressively darker and more interesting as the kids get older. The HP series of books are as good as any of my favorite comic books which is saying a lot. Except for Chamber of Secrets which is the weakest of the bunch. But the over-all story/plot of the series is pretty amazing and very intense. I'd recommend the books over the films though. They missed the mark completely when they made HP6 into a movie. It was supposed to be a lot of back story for the big evil wizard and they turned it into a kissing girls movie instead. HP7 was amazing though. Edge of my seat amazing. Last time I was on the edge of my seat was Batman Beyond Return of the Joker.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

Whenever I mention the John Stewart GL in my house my wife thinks I'm talking about...


I do want him as a Retro-Action figure one day. (John Stewart not Jon Stewart)

[TrueDave]

I was thinking
"If I am sick of hearing about racial equality then it's probably because it's not my problem."

Time to go watch White Mans Burden again.

[cdhall]

I haven't read this whole thread, which I normally do before I post but I'm posting anyway.

I loved Hal Jordan back in the early 80s. I quit reading comics around then I guess. We were out somewhere a few years ago and there was a Hal Jordan Green Lantern figure or comic somewhere and I said "Oooh, cool. I loved the Green Lantern."

And my son, about 8 I guess who had recently started watching the Justice League cartoon before Unlimited came out, said something like "That's not Green Lantern, he's black."

I had no idea Hal Jordan was not the Green Lantern. He had no idea John Stewart had not always been the Green Lantern.

The best part is we rented some Green Lantern Cartoon DVD movie that was AWESOME! But I just wanted to bring that up. I had no idea my son even knew what the Green Lantern was...

[LadyZod]

The original tale of the Green Lantern has nothing to with John Stewart which you reference. He is simply one of many who have come since Hal Jordan. I believe in following the story as it is laid out. Lets bury this notion that because he's black he has some kind of right of passage to rewrite the history of the Green Lantern Corp. For once, lets be truthful about the story and leave cultural bias out of the picture.

I'm sure the Inuit folks appreciated having a character called PIEFACE in Green Lantern... should we *really* be truthful about the story and include him WITH that name? Just something to think about.

I agree that if we're going to have a Green Lantern movie it *should* be about Hal Jordan, but I understand why young kids believe that "Green lantern" is black.

It's the same as when Superman came out and people believed Krypton was the ice planet, Hoth and the S on his chest was a family crest... or when Batman came out and folks believed the Joker killed Bruce Wayne's parents... and the other half wondered where Aunt Harriet was.

[jds1911a1]

You're all wrong....Green Lantern isn't black....He is a white dude...but a BLOND-HAIRED white dude, not some brown-haired space cop...The costume is all wrong too...Where's his cape?

I gave up that fight years ago but Alan scott is the best gl