The comic book genre is going through a big change, as the DC Extended Universe ended with Aquaman 2, and a new shared universe is currently being formed by co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran. This new world will kick off with the highly anticipated upcoming DC movie Superman, directed by Gunn himself. Actor Nathan Fillion recently teased his approach to playing Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and I'm so in.
What we know about the Superman movie is limited, but James Gunn is bringing a number of heroes into the story to interact with David Corenswet's title character. That includes Guy Gardner, who is a Green Lantern member that's got a notorious attitude. Nathan Fillion recently spoke to Collider about how he's approaching his role in the Superman cast, saying:
The reality is that people have flaws. We all have quirks. We all have vulnerabilities. You could have the most wonderful family, but be like, 'Oh, my God, my dad drives me nuts. He's got this one thing.' Everybody's got something, and I love to lean into those faults and flaws. It's what makes people real and what allows audiences to relate, because we all know what that is. We all have our own. We witness it in other people. Guy Gardner is 90% flawed and doesn't care. That's one of his flaws. I think there's a real freedom in playing that. So, for a guy who likes to play flaws and flawed people, Guy Gardner is a gold mine.
Yeah, I'm sold. Rather than the beacon of hope that Green Lantern Hal Jordan has been in the comics, Guy Gardner is someone who operates in the margins of being a hero, and have his own set of demons. He's never been portrayed in live-action, so it's thrilling knowing how specific Fillion will be.
While Guy Gardner was originally going to get a cameo in Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern (which is streaming with a Max subscription), it didn't end up happening. As such, Nathan Fillion will be able to put his spin on the character without comparisons being made.
The story of the new Superman movie is being kept under wraps, but it definitely turned heads that a variety of other heroes were also being included. In addition to Green Lantern bad boy Guy Gardner, we'll also be introduced to Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific and Metamorpho.
As a DC fans I've always loved the Green Lantern Corps., in both the comics and various animated series. But unfortunately bringing them to live-action is easier said than done, and Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern movie is somewhat infamous for this reason. But Guy Gardner is finally getting his time in the sun, and it'll be fun to see how his ego interacts with the Man of Steel.
Superman is currently expected to arrive in theaters on July 11th, 2025. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates.
