Remember 2011’s Ryan Reynolds-helmed Green Lantern movie? Honestly, how could anyone forget it? That said, director Martin Campbell actually thinks it “would’ve been great” with one big tweak: Reynolds writing the script.
“In fact, I wish to God he had written the script, and it would have been great,” the filmmaker, who is perhaps best known for his directing work in the James Bond film franchise, told The Direct in a recent interview. “But he’s always taking jabs at it. And fair enough.”
He’s got a point. Deadpool star Reynolds can be incredibly funny on the page, and maybe that tonal shift would’ve helped the film in the long run but, ultimately, who knows. Campbell went on to add that despite taking the blame for the film as an overall failure, he looks back on the experience fondly.
“You know, look, people didn’t like it. It failed, right? I was the director, so, you know, obviously I take the heat for it, which is fine,” he said. “But all I can say is, Ryan’s a very funny guy, very fun. We actually had a terrific time on the film. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him and with Blake Lively. She was terrific as well. And he’s always, he’s got a great whip, you know, Ryan.”
Back in 2021, IGN sat down with Campbell and he elaborated on how the failure of Green Lantern might have partially rested on his ambivalence for the superhero genre.
“The film did not work, really,” Campbell told us at the time. “That’s the point, and I’m partly responsible for that. I shouldn’t have done it. Because with something like Bond — I love Bond, and I watched every Bond film before I ever directed it. Superhero movies are not my cup of tea, and for that reason, I shouldn’t have done it.”
That said, he did also note during the chat that it’s on directors to “carry the can for the failures,” harkening back to the adage that success has many fathers whereas failure has one. The director added that he saw himself as the father.
Green Lantern will return to the brand new DCU in July, with James Gunn’s upcoming Superman film. Nathan Fillion will play Guy Gardner, and we’d be lying if we said we weren’t excited to see what that portrayal will be like.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
