A one-time Marvel villain actor has reportedly decided not to bat for the other comic book movie team.
As James Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebooted DCU prepares to take off with the release of projects like Creature Commandos and Superman, Marvel Studios is still riding high off of their smash hit movie Deadpool & Wolverine.
Both Marvel and DC have found themselves in an interesting, if not a bit precarious spot in recent years. General goodwill towards both brands seemed to plummet after a string of flops. But the House of Ideas and its Distinguished Competition tenaciously fight on with a slew of upcoming films and shows.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Josh Brolin has turned down the role of Green Lantern Hal Jordan in the HBO Green Lantern series Lanterns. It‘s rumored that other big names like Matthew McConaughey and Star Wars’ Ewan McGregor were also being considered for Hal.
Brolin made waves several years back by playing the MCU’s ultimate villain Thanos, first in cameo roles in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy and 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron before returning in lead roles in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War and 2019's Avengers: Endgame. In the midst of this villainous run, he also played the formidable Cable in 2018's Deadpool 2.
But Josh Brolin is also far from the only actor to appear in both DC and Marvel live-action projects.
One of the most famous examples of this is Ryan Reynolds. Coincidentally, Reynolds played Hal Jordan in 2011’s disastrous Green Lantern before eventually taking on the role of Marvel’s Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool.
Not to mention that Josh Brolin portrayed the Wild West outlaw antihero Jonah Hex in the character’s movie from 2010. Playing comic book roles clearly seems to be something that a great many actors find appealing.
If the rumors regarding McGregor and others being in the running are legitimate, it would be very safe to assume that DC Studios will move onto another one of those actors for the Hal Jordan role in the wake of Brolin’s rejection.
More Actors Who Have Crossed the Marvel-DC Aisle
Brolin and Reynolds do not even scratch the surface of stars who have lept from DC to Marvel or vice versa.
Idris Elba was Heimdall in various Thor and Avengers films while additionally appearing as Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad directed by James Gunn.
Ben Affleck had a fan-favorite, if not controversial, turn as Batman in multiple DC movies released under former studio leadership but played Matt Murdock aka, Daredevil in the 2003 Daredevil film.
Djimon Hounsou, Laurence Fishburne, Tommy Lee Jones, and Halle Berry have also all dipped their toes in both the Marvel and DC ponds.
Notably, a handful of MCU stars have already made the jump to the DCU, with more to come, presumably. This is something that James Gunn has specifically had to address, as his casting of former Marvel actors has drawn some backlash.
Both Marvel Studios and DC Studios find themselves with a lot to prove as of late. With regard to the Blue Brand, Gunn and Safran are launching an entirely new shared storytelling universe, one which likely must quickly make itself viable if planned future projects are to be made.
DC is coming off a rough couple of years at the box office, with duds like Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom struggling to pull in revenue.
Meanwhile, public perception of Marvel’s MCU tanked in 2023, after Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Secret Invasion, and The Marvels failed to impress. The recent runaway success of Deadpool & Wolverine has gone a long way in winning audiences back over, however.
In 2025, Marvel is releasing at least three films whilst DC is just putting out one. With a lot on the line for both companies, filmgoers will ultimately decide their fates.
