Back in October, a rumor that Josh Brolin was in talks to play Hal Jordan in the upcoming HBO Lanterns series did the rounds, with the trades seemingly backing up the initial report when it was announced that Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights, Catch 22) had landed the part.
Brolin - who is no stranger to superhero roles having previously played Thanos, Cable and Jonah Hex - would later confirm that he was in negotiations for the role. The Dune Part Two star declined to go into specifics, instead praising the man who will suit-up as the veteran ring-slinging hero in the DCU series.
"You know what? Green Lantern didn't work out, but that's okay," Brolin told ComicBook.com when asked if he turned down the role because he was holding out for a better DC character. "It's working out. Who is it going to be, Kyle Chandler? I love him as an actor, I think he's wonderful, actually. And, you know, we'll see what's down the line, man."
We're not exactly sure why things didn't work out (several other A-list stars were reportedly offered the part, and there's a perception that the role has been "tainted" by the notorious big-screen Green Lantern movie starring Ryan Reynolds), but it seems James Gunn and co. are still keen to work with Brolin.
According to Daniel Richtman, DC Studios wants Brolin for a different DCU role. He doesn't mention any specific characters, but it sounds like the actor is open to the possibility of suiting-up as another hero (or villain) in the future.
Richtman also mentions that DC Studios has "big plans" for Jason Momoa's Lobo following the news that the former Aquaman star will debut as the Main Man in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (though this would hardly be a surprise).
Which DC Comics character would you most like to see Brolin play? Let us know in the comments section.
Chandler will be joined by Aaron Pierre as John Stewart. Kelly MacDonald (The Radleys, Boardwalk Empire) is set to play the female lead (believed to be Jordan's love-interest), Sheriff Kerry, with Garret Dillahunt on board as the villainous William Macon, "a self-righteous, conspiracy-minded man who masks his ruthless ambition behind a charming and calculated facade."
James Hawes (Slow Horses, Penny Dreadful, The Mist, The Alienist, Snowpiercer) will helm the first two episodes.
He joins a creative team that includes Emmy Award-winning Lost and Watchmen creator Damon Lindelof, Ozark showrunner Chris Mundy and comic book writer Tom King. Justin Britt-Gibson, Breannah Gibson and Vanessa Baden Kelly are also said to be on board.
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."
Production on Lanterns is currently set to commence early this year in the United Kingdom, potentially putting the show on track for a 2026 release.
Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner, who will make his debut in Gunn's Superman reboot, is expected to have a supporting role in the series.
An earlier Green Lantern TV series was in the works before Gunn and Safran took over as co-heads of DC Studios. That version was created by Greg Berlanti and would have starred Finn Wittrock as Guy Gardner.
Hal Jordan was previously played by Ryan Reynolds in the infamous 2011 Green Lantern movie.
"This is a story of a couple of Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan," Gunn said of the project when it was first announced. "We have a few other Lanterns peppered in there but this is really a terrestrial based TV show which is almost like True Detective with a couple of Green Lanterns who are space cops watching over Precinct Earth in it they discover a terrifying mystery that ties into our largest story of the DCU."
You can check out some recent fan-art from 21x4 below.