When the news broke that Josh Brolin was being eyed for the role of Hal Jordan in Lanterns, it was apparent that DC Studios had some pretty unique plans for the character in the DCU.
We've since learned that the Avengers: Infinity War star has passed on the HBI series as has Deadpool & Wolverine's Matthew McConaughey.
This isn't overly surprising, particularly when there's still such a stigma surrounding the franchise thanks to 2011's Green Lantern (while funny, Ryan Reynolds' repeated jokes at its expense have ensured it's remained at the forefront of audiences' minds as an unmitigated disaster).
Today, scooper @MyTimeToShineH has chimed in to claim that, "Ewan McGregor is next then Chris Pine."
So, the Obi-Wan Kenobi star is at the top of DC Studios' list and, if he says no, it's down to Star Trek's James T. Kirk. Should the Wonder Woman star also decline the offer - and he's never shown much interest in starring in another superhero project after that and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - it'll be back to the drawing board for James Gunn.
It was recently reported that "they're eyeing Josh Brolin because their vision for Hal Jordan is to have him as an older, gruff, no-nonsense mentor to a younger and reckless John Stewart. And as we know, Brolin excels at playing the grumpy type."
At the time, the DCU was also described as a "world very different from ours and far removed from the DCEU. Heroes have been around for ages, and we'll see how it affected this world's history and has shaped the DCU."
"The DCU will feature various projects set across different timelines, not just present day. So more in line with the approach of Star Wars than Marvel."
DC Studios' Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.
Chris Mundy (True Detective: Night Country) is serving as showrunner and executive producer and will write Lanterns with Damon Lindelof (Watchmen) and comic book scribe Tom King (Supergirl).
When Lanterns' creative team was first revealed, James Gunn and Peter Safran, as Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of DC Studios, shared a joint statement which read, "We’re thrilled to bring this seminal DC title to HBO with Chris, Damon and Tom at the helm."
"John Stewart and Hal Jordan are two of DC’s most compelling characters, and Lanterns brings them to life in an original detective story that is a foundational part of the unified DCU we’re launching next summer with 'Superman.'"
Lanterns doesn't currently have a confirmed premiere date.