entertainment sites: Ryan Reynolds Calls His 'Green Lantern' Character A 'Reimagining'

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Ryan Reynolds Calls His 'Green Lantern' Character A 'Reimagining'

Star talks of the challenges of combining fanboys' wishes with his own.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Ryan Reynolds in "Green Lantern"
Photo: DC Comics/ Warner Bros.

Ryan Reynolds knows his "Green Lantern" lore. He has committed Hal Jordan's signature oath to memory and can speak knowledgably about lesser-known characters like Bzzd. And as a devoted fan of the DC Comics series, he understands the pressure that comes along with a big-screen adaptation.

The weight of fan expectation was all the greater after the initial "Green Lantern" trailer was not exactly warmly embraced. But following the debut of fresh footage at CinemaCon last month, opinion has shifted. "I feel better," Reynolds admitted to MTV News, which is debuting a very cool character banner as part of our Summer Movie Preview week.

In a later interview, he expanded on those comments about the burden of bringing "Green Lantern" to the multiplex on June 17. "This one is particularly challenging because you want to get it right for so many people coming in with a built-in expectation," he explained. "It's one thing to do it for a film when you're inventing a character that nobody's heard of. That's great. It's another when you're reimagining a character that people have known for decades. So that's not an insignificant challenge.

"You want to come in there and bring them something that is truly memorable and is exactly what they want blended with exactly what I want, because I am the guy that's got to do it," he added. "It's exciting. There are challenges."

Yet Reynolds maintains that the film's story will be one that appeals not just to the fanboys but also to a broader audience: His Hal Jordan is an egocentric test pilot who transforms, thanks to a Green Lantern power ring, to a universe-protecting superhero. As Reynolds put it, "This is a guy that goes from a reckless, walking mishap to a guy with a higher calling, and he really rises to that occasion and experiences real humility and purpose for the first time in his life. That's a story I think a lot of people will gravitate toward."

It's Summer Movie Preview Week, and MTV News will be bringing you exclusive interviews, clips and photos for the most anticipated films of the coming months. Get ready to gorge on inside looks at "Captain America," "The Hangover Part II," "X-Men: First Class," "Cowboys & Aliens" and more.

Check out everything we've got on "Green Lantern."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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