Over the years, superhero fans have seen a number of lackluster comic book adaptations, but one movie that arguably lives in infamy more so than others is 2011’s Green Lantern. The Ryan Reynolds-led flick is considered by many to be one of the genre’s poorest offerings, something that Reynolds accepts and frequently jokes about. While the star pokes fun whenever he gets the chance, it’s not often that we hear from the man who directed the flick, Martin Campbell. And just recently, the filmmaker opened up about whether he’d ever return to the world of cinematic, costumed do-gooders.
It’s honestly somewhat hard to believe that it’s been over a decade since Ryan Reynolds donned that green, CGI suit. Martin Campbell hasn’t directed a comic book movie since, having opted for action thrillers like Jackie Chan’s The Foreigner and his most recent effort, the Liam Neeson-headed Memory. So what does the 78-year-old director think about dabbling in the superhero realm once more? Well, it seems he’s not too keen on diving back in:
No, I'm not good at superhero movies. Green Lantern? People didn't like that movie, and frankly, I shouldn't have done it. I did it because I've never done one. You work just as hard on the movies that really are not successful as you do on the ones that are. I think there are people better qualified than me to do a superhero movie.
So if you were hoping the Casino Royale helmer would take another swing at it, then his comments to Screen Rant are sure to disappoint. One can understand his feelings, though. His DC flick was panned by both fans and critics and it also failed to make much noise at the box office. You have to give the man credit for knowing when something just isn’t his forte.
Ryan Reynolds has had quite a bit of fun at the flick’s expense over the years. At one point, he and co-star Taika Waititi even went as far as to humorously disown their former on-screen team-up. Last year, Reynolds took things to the next level by donning some Aviation Gin and doing a rewatch and sharing some A+ tweets in the process.
While the movie continues to be the source of jokes now, there are certainly reasons to be grateful for it. For instance, the minds behind HBO Max’s upcoming Green Lantern show are learning from its creative mistakes. And believe it or not, Ryan Reynolds’ performance in it would later influence his work in Deadpool. So there are a few silver linings to be found.
But if you ask Martin Campbell, he’d probably say the biggest bright spot is that it taught him that superhero movies are not in his wheelhouse.
Martin Campbell’s Memory is now playing in theaters and those who have HBO Max subscriptions can stream Green Lantern, if they dare.
