Co-CEO of DC Studios James Gunn tells a story about how former Green Lantern met an even worse fate, garnering widely negative reviews from critics and moviegoers alike, and ultimately became a box office bomb with a worldwide haul of only $220 million.

In the years since, Reynolds' superhero career has made an epic comeback. The actor returned to the role of Wade Wilson for 2016's Deadpool movie, which was so well-received and financially successful, it earned a sequel - 2018's Deadpool 2. More recently, Reynolds' Deadpool and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine were brought back for this summer's massive blockbuster, Deadpool 2 post-credits scene, it seems he can't ever escape, even from friends in the industry like James Gunn.

On the latest episode of Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast, Gunn chatted about everything DC, including the HBO series titled Lanterns. As Horowitz was setting up his question for the co-CEO of DC Studios, the interviewer was careful not to say anything too negative about the 2011 Green Lantern movie starring Reynolds. Gunn, however, had no such qualms - and even shared a hilarious exchange he had with Reynolds after he signed on for his current role at DC (at the 32:56 mark in the video below):

No one's getting shocked by that statement. [...] Ryan doesn't give a sh-t. One of the first people I talked to after I got the [DC] job was Ryan Reynolds. I'm like, 'You coming back?' He's like, 'Get the f-ck outta here.'

What James Gunn's Ryan Reynolds Story Means

DC Studios Is Producing A New Green Lantern Project

It's clear from the way Gunn tells the story that he was never really asking Reynolds to return as Green Lantern in the new DC Universe. This wasn't an exchange between a studio executive and an actor, but between two friends. That also means Reynolds' refusal isn't a real refusal, since the question wasn't real to begin with. Still, it seems unlikely that the Deadpool actor would ever return to the Green Lantern role.

Over the years, Reynolds has been one of the Green Lantern movie's biggest detractors, making it clear what he thought of his CGI superhero suit and other aspects of the film that didn't work. Frankly, it's irable how good-natured he's been, especially considering how many people mocked Green Lantern and his role in it. But instead of getting defensive, he ed in on the fun, which has made it easier for fans and his friends to laugh about it. The result is, apparently, getting joking messages from the new co-CEO of DC Studios, but Reynolds took it in stride.

Our Take On James Gunn's Ryan Reynolds Story

It's A Fun Anecdote, But Nothing More

While there might be someone out there who wants to see Reynolds back as Green Lantern, even if only to give him a chance to redeem the 2011 movie, it's probably for the best if DC moves on. DC is set to launch a new Green Lantern TV show called Lanterns as part of the DCU slate, and it looks much more promising than a return to the world of the previous movie. Besides, Kyle Chandler has already been cast as the DCU's Hal Jordan, with the actor set to star in Lanterns alongside Aaron Pierre as John Stewart.

Although it's certainly possible that Reynolds could return by way of the multiverse, the DCU is probably better off sticking to building out the new franchise. After all, there haven't been any adaptations of Green Lantern since the 2011 movie, and it's important for the DCU to get their version right. Thankfully, Gunn has indicated he's confident in the direction of Lanterns, and with the show set to begin filming in early 2025, it's looking like a new take on Green Lantern will be ing the DC Universe sooner rather than later.

Source: Happy Sad Confused

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