During the searing heat of a New Orleans summer, Ryan Reynolds donned a gray motion-capture suit and took on a task unlike any other in his storied career. It’s understandable if the charming and funny actor felt less than heroic in the notorious onesie that was eventually replaced with an all-CGI suit in the film.
Ryan Reynolds’ Willpower and Redemption Went A Long Way
Green Lantern is a challenging figure to put on the big screen since, unlike other renowned superheroes like Batman and Spider-Man, he does not live on Earth but patrols the wide universe. It was a departure for Martin Campbell, a veteran director whose previous credits included action flicks like Casino Royale and GoldenEye, to direct a picture that explored both the superhero and science fiction genres simultaneously.
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During most of the blue screen production of the film, the actors only had Major’s concept drawings to look at. The aerial fights in the movie were even more difficult to envision than Oa and the gorgeous universe.
High-tech harnesses and cable systems let the actors pull off incredible stunts in midair, giving the audience a genuine feeling of flying. However, there was a physical price to pay for doing these acts.
Actor Ryan Reynolds, known for performing above and beyond, carried most of the work in these intense fight scenes. Reynolds and the other actors, harnessed in, were subjected to being dragged through the air, banked from side to side, and dropped into predetermined locations determined by a computer.
Unfortunately, Ryan Reynolds’s shoulder separated during the rigorous wire work of one especially taxing flying session. Reynolds showed the fortitude of a genuine hero by pushing through the agony and anguish to finish the race. Director Martin Campbell explains how the actor looked when the production wrapped.
“Ryan’s an actor who doesn’t really complain about anything, but you could see in his face when we wrapped, he looked like he had gone through a war.”
It was clear from the beginning that the actors and crew were dedicated to making a picture that would go beyond the superhero genre and that pressure to make a remarkable film weighed hard on them.
Bringing Green Lantern’s Superhero Legacy Into Reality
Some unexpected bumps were along the road while casting Green Lantern for the big screen. Ryan Reynolds was chosen for the main part, although he was up against Justin Timberlake and five or six other A-listers.
Timberlake’s audition was impressive, but director Martin Campbell said it tended toward a younger, youthful role representation. Bradley Cooper, Henry Cavill, and Jared Leto were the other renowned actors considered for the role.
While Henry Cavill has been cast as Superman in an upcoming remake, Jack Black was an unexpected candidate for the role years ago when he was linked to a humorous character interpretation.
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Thankfully, Ryan Reynolds was the one the Green Lantern ring settled on for the hero’s big-screen premiere. The great Paul Newman inspired Green Lantern’s design, while Hal Jordan’s love interest Carol Ferris was modeled after Elizabeth Taylor. Gil Kane took influence from the eminent good looks of British actor David Niven to create the villain Sinestro.
Source: New York Daily News
