This weekend in San Francisco at WonderCon, Warner Bros. and DC decided to remind everyone that there are superhero movies in the works that are not based on Marvel properties, nor will they have any connection to next year’s The Avengers. To do that, the companies decided to unveil something of an extended trailer for the upcoming Green Lantern, due out this summer.
The clip serves two purposes, for two distinct groups. The first purpose is to show people unfamiliar with the property what to expect. The filmmakers have repeatedly stated that they are going for a Star Wars/Space Opera vibe, with more of an emphasis on the science fiction angle than just the superhero slant. The footage seems to back that up by showing off the planet of Oa, home to the Green Lantern Corps.
The second goal of the trailer is to answer fans’ questions about what they can expect to see from the comics–including how the characters like Kilowog will look, and what to expect from the look of the primary bad guy, Parallax. The footage may also help ease the fears of fans who have been nervous about the casting of Reynolds, the look of the suit, and a thousand other concerns that come standard with the adaptation of a property beloved by many that has been around for decades.
For those unfamiliar with the plot, and who therefore may be confused by some of the footage below, the Green Lantern Corps is an intergalactic agency that uses power rings, capable of creating solid constructs from the users’ imagination and willpower. When a member of the Corps crash lands on Earth, the ring chooses Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), a test pilot that it deems a worthy successor. Jordan accepts the ring and is taken to the planet Oa, where he begins his training as the first human Green Lantern. The Corps is then brought together by the threat of Parallax, an enemy that threatens the entire universe.
Directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale, Edge of Darkness), Green Lantern stars Reynolds, Blake Lively and Mark Strong. Look for it in 3D on June 17, 2011.
