While Ryan Reynolds has wowed comic book fans as Deadpool, his 2011 stint as Hal Jordan in Martin Campbell's Green Lantern left a lot to be desired. Critics felt he was more of a wise-cracker and less of the badass hero we know Hal to be from decades of comics, and the film came off as more style than substance.
With news of HBO Max making a Green Lantern TV series, though, fans are already speculating as to who it should center around. Given what transpired with Warner Bros.' initial take on Hal, we have an idea of which character should lead the show to separate it from the failures of old.
ALAN SCOTT'S A GREAT CANDIDATE
Guy Gardner wouldn't be a good pick because he's a foul-mouthed jock that embodies toxic masculinity. In our current socially-conscious climate, we need less of this on TV.
Kyle Rayner could be a good pick, but he's a bit plain. He's a broody artist who decides being a space cop would add purpose to his life.
In contrast, Alan Scott's a great pick who'd stand out because he's a seasoned veteran who transcends a rookie or soldier training and working for the Guardians of Oa. Scott, who debuted in 1940's All-American Comics #16, was placed on DC's Earth Two, with a story far removed from the space saga of the Corps on DC's Prime Earth. Scott's classic stories were tied more to magic and recharging his ring in a battery, so this character could provide a TV show with a grounded narrative that wouldn't require that big a budget. And if HBO Max follows the modern DC books it'd add inclusivity and diversity as, there, Scott was a gay man and the owner of a media conglomerate whose magical powers stemmed from his role as champion of the Green.
The choice of Scott would also add a supernatural flair to the series and could even link to the Justice Society of America should HBO Max venture into such territory. In addition, Scott cuts a very altruistic figure, and even if the show goes the route of a meteor falling to Earth and powering him up in his first set of adventures, we could see a science-mystery story unfolding, coming across as a mature version of Smallville with bits of DC Universe's Swamp Thing thrown in. However, as fun as it'd be to see Scott on Earth building constructs, there's one candidate who we think really tops the rest.
BUT... JOHN STEWART'S THE BEST FIT
John Stewart really shot to prominence in the Justice League cartoons, especially Justice League Unlimited. As a former U.S. soldier, he has so many layers and dimensions to him. He's no-nonsense and all about the job, so as a man of duty, he's a major step up from flawed guys like Hal and Guy who are still trying to find themselves. This would make for a deeper story. John's a true warrior and basing the narrative around him would also allow the series to look back at his time in war zones. It could even touch on issues like losing comrades and PTSD.
In the field, John's always done right by Oa and the Guardians. He's often seen as a hard-ass mentor, so this is a great opportunity to show fans what Sinestro could have been had he stayed the path. John's even had interesting run-ins with the Manhunters, the Yellow Corps, the Violet Corps, and Atrocitus, and he's been attached to the White Entity of Life, so he's played a big role in the comics over the years.
Most importantly, as a Black man, the series would be making huge strides in terms of progress and representation if it had him as the main character. After all, with so many aliens who look and sound different, John would be the ideal character to dive into cosmic politics and issues such as refugees, brutality, slavery and genocide.
The Arrowverse has often toyed with John Diggle, another strong Black man, being this version of the Lantern, and fans have embraced the idea because of how Stewart's brand was built in the cartoon. This is proof of concept that John Stewart would be a hit if HBO Max went with him. He'd be easily recognizable and add a lot more nuance to a series that need not follow the path that was previously laid out in the Green Lantern movie and ultimately failed.