With James Gunn and Peter Safran having laid out their plans for the first chapter of the new DCU movie and TV slate, one of the projects that fans will be looking forward to the most is Lanterns. The live-action TV series will reportedly follow two members of the intergalactic police force.
Hal Jordan was first introduced on the big screen in 2011’s Green Lantern film. Starring Ryan Reynolds, this film was supposed to be the initial launch of a DC Universe, but it fell flat and has been much reviled since. While Reynolds is incredibly unlikely to return to the role with his current success as Deadpool for Marvel, there will be a host of actors hoping to become a major part of the new DCU by snatching such a coveted role.
6 Zac Efron
Of all the young, well-regarded actors in Hollywood who could take on a major superhero role and keep playing it for an extended period of time, Zac Efron is one of the most notable. First a heartthrob for Disney and later just a general heartthrob, Efron has been around Hollywood for a long time and has a great history, but is still only 35.
Never having taken on a major role for Marvel or DC, Efron has the build and plenty of charisma and talent. It is surprising that he still hasn’t played a major role, but there is definitely one out there for him with at least one of the two major companies. He has long been rumored for a variety of roles like the Human Torch and the Flash, but Hal Jordan, a young hotshot pilot that has a lot of attitude and has to learn responsibility could be great. Efron already has experience working alongside some huge actors in buddy cop scenarios, and Lanterns appears to be going for a similar theme in an intergalactic sort of way.
5 Alden Ehrenreich
Another young actor who has some major roles in his past, Ehrenreich is no stranger to taking on a massive role already played by somebody else. Only thirty-three, Ehrenreich already had his major breakout moment when he landed the role of the young Han Solo in the character’s origin film. But could he switch from Star Wars to DC for a role like Hal Jordan?
The role of Hal Jordan has similarities to Han Solo, so it definitely wouldn’t be surprising to see a box office actor like Ehrenreich leap into the role with a brash style and put together a memorable run as the character, which he could easily keep up for ten years or more as the DCU continues to grow and change.
4 Matt Lanter
Lanter is another actor in his thirties who could play a great version of Hal Jordan for Lanterns. He has mostly stuck to TV work and has a history with parody films, but his big box office breakout still hasn’t happened yet, and it could come by starting out in this HBO Max series.
It is likely that the role of Hal Jordan will have a lot of film crossovers, but starting with a great TV actor and helping them evolve from there could be the way forward for DC in casting the role of Hal Jordan.
3 Taron Egerton
Already having found his feet and huge success at the box office as another brash young character in Eggsy Unwin, Taron Egerton made the Kingsman franchise his own and may yet be returning to that series for a third film following the success of The King’s Man.
However, another brash young role like Hal Jordan could be a perfect next step for an actor who has proven he can be a huge box office draw already. Egerton has more recently done some amazing TV work and would look perfectly in place as the face of a superhero franchise or serious HBO Max shows. Lanterns, being both of those things, could be the perfect place for him, and Hal Jordan could be the perfect role.
2 John Boyega
Another actor who has found his way through major box office success with a franchise, and is still young enough to take on a fresh role and play it for ten to fifteen years, Boyega burst onto the scene as Finn, the former Stormtrooper, in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. While his role was reduced in the sequels, he remained a beloved character and part of the franchise.
His young, brash style could easily be transferred to playing Hal Jordan, particularly if Lanterns starts out with a look at the origin of the character in his pilot days before becoming a Lantern. Working alongside another actor playing Jon Stewart could be great for Boyega, who could flourish well in the buddy cop scenario that would bring.
1 Glen Powell
For a brash young pilot, it is easy to look no further than Glen Powell, who lit up screens in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick as the despicable Hangman. Playing that sort of cruel character could give Powell great inspiration for putting together the basis of Hal Jordan’s character before he learns the responsibility of being a Green Lantern.
Powell has a great history with big roles, and could easily be snapped up by Marvel or DC for a role before long. If that day is coming, it would be for the best that he gets a chance like Lanterns to showcase his talents on the TV screen, where he has a great deal of experience, before jumping into any of the DC film projects.