The world may never get to seeChris Pine playGreen LanternHal Jordanin a DC movie universe, but fans who believed he was perfect for the role aren’t totally out of luck. They’re not alone in their opinions, either, as one legendary artist quietly cast Chris Pine as the Justice League superhero over a decade ago.
The roster of live action Green Lanterns is growing rapidly, withNathan Fillion’s Guy Gardnerkicking off the DCU’s new team in James Gunn’sSuperman, followed soon after byLanterns’Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre(playing Hal Jordan and John Stewart, respectively). But for all that excitement, there is the unavoidable grief that theWonder Woman(2017) star never got the chance to bring portray Hal Jordan on screen. Thankfully, there’s no erasing theJustice Leaguestoryline thatunofficially cast Chris Pine as Green Lantern in DC’s comic universe.
Chris Pine Became The Green Lantern (in DC Comics)
Justice League of America(2015) by Bryan Hitch, Daniel Henriques, Andrew Currie, Alex Sinclair, et al
Credit for this artistic casting call can be laid entirely at the feet of the acclaimed Bryan Hitch, veteran of both Marvel and DC Comics, and the writer and artist ofthe 2015Justice League of Americacomic book in which the ‘Pine-like’ Hal Jordan was born. It isn’t the first time that a celebrity or actor’s likeness was sublty incorporated into a comic book character, and the white-eyed masks help to keep things ambiguous (a problem we’ve remedied above). But there’s no mistaking the source material for this take on Green Lantern.
Absolute Green Lantern Makes His Official Debut, With A Shocking Crime That Changes Hal Jordan Forever
Hal Jordan has joined the Absolute Universe, but the first action he takes redefines his role in DC lore by turning the Green Lantern into a killer.
By the halfway point of the series,Hitch’s illustrations of Hal Jordan made his tongue-in-cheek tribute increasingly hard to ignore. With the exception of interspered issues from other artists (Philip Tan, Tom Derenick), theJustice League of Americaseries saw Hal Jordan’s design evolve from the boyish looks ofStar Trek’s Captain Kirk, all the way through to the bearded Pine ofOutlaw King(mirroring Pine’s own changing style, in hindsight). And through it all, every issue provesthe Chris Pine/Green Lantern fan castingwas always a brilliant call.
Hitch’sJustice League of Americarun would end prematurely at Issue #10, with the writer/artist shifting duties to the impendingJustice League:Rebirthrelaunch.
The Entire Justice League Was Inspired By DC Actors
Bryan Hitch’s Inspirations Were Clear For Fans of DC Film & TV
The adherence to Pine’s appearance wasn’t a unique case, either. Readers of theJLAbook can enjoy seeing one of the industry’s top artistsdrawing Superman in the equally unmistakable style of Henry Cavill, a Batman reminiscent ofBatman Begins' Christian Bale, and even artwork of Barry Allen that is eerily similar to the unmistakable cowl ofThe CW’s ownFlash, Grant Gustin. All unacknowledged, but impossible for devoted fans of DC’s live-action properties to completely miss.
So whatever the future may hold for the actor or role, disappointed fans wondering what could have been need not fret, and instead enjoy the DC Comics story which gave Chris Pine’sGreen Lanterna place among DC’s greatest movie and TV stars.
