So I recently did a Screen Rant speculative piece (patent pending) asking you, our loyal readers, which actor should tackle the almost Shakespearean role of Sinestro in The Green Lantern. The piece was a response of sorts to MTV Splash Page’s weekly column, where they cast some of their favorite superhero movies that are in the pipeline.
Well, as a result of both MTV and our own post regarding the role of Sinestro, an interesting consensus was reached (at least amongst our Screen Rant readers). If you haven’t guessed from the pic above, the general consensus is that actor Hugo Weaving (The Matrix, Lord of the Rings) is the man best suited for the purple dye-job to play Green Lantern’s nemesis.
|
|
First a recap on who Sinestro is and why I make the bold claim that the role is almost “Shakespearean”:
For those who don’t know, when Hal Jordan is first awarded his power ring and summoned to Oa, home base of the Green Lantern Corps, Sinestro is the most celebrated (and feared) member of the corps. He takes Hal Jordan under his wing and teaches him the ropes. The turning point in their relationship comes when Sinestro is empowered with a yellow ring (weakness of Green Lanterns) and his ambitions for universal martial order finally bubble to the surface, forcing Hal to become the proverbial student who ultimately bests the teacher.
To me, the character has always been like Iago from Othello crossed with Lord Macbeth. Sinestro is a schemer and an iimperial general wrapped in one, and early rumors about The Green Lantern script indicate that the villain will at least appear to be on the side of good for most of this first film, until his true nefarious nature is revealed.
You need an actor that can play imperial, cunning, ruthless, heroic and charming all at once, while flashing a wolf’s grin in front of eyes hiding madness and fury just behind their pupils. Basically George C. Scott’s Patton with purple skin and a yellow ring (for those of you who prefer WWII films to reading Shakespeare).
Hugo Weaving demonstrated in The Matrix that he can play the slightly-crazy, imperial-world-order type villain; he made it clear playing the Elf King in Lord of the Rings that he can portray a wise and respected leader. Hell, even his voice-work as the titular character in V For Vendetta shows how good the man is at walking the tightrope of intelligent/crazy. Add the fact that he’s already done some of the most epic and indelible action scenes of the new Millennium (The Matrix films), and suddenly it’s almost logical to imagine him facing off against Ryan Reynolds/Hal Jordan in a climatic deep-space showdown.
And, if the header pic isn’t enough proof, Weaving has the right look for the role.
So there you have it. Hugo Weaving for Sinestro. Of course if you disagree, there are always alternatives:
Dakota Fanning as Sinestro? No? You Sure?
Just Kidding (or am I?).
The Green Lantern is slated to start filming this fall, with an aimed release date of June 17, 2011.
Source: MTV Splash Page (Tag, you’re it!)
Loading ...
24 Comments
Hugo Weaving will make a good Sinestro. If only they can replace Ryan Reynolds with Chris Pine as Green Lantern.
so, we know for certain Sinestro is part of this script?
I just find it odd that we have heard nothing about his actual casting .
In fact,
We havent heard ANY casting announcements since Reynold was announced.
Maybe they havent worked out their budget issues yet.
Hugo Weaving is pretty reliable in any project he shows up in. I am curious to see this movie; I know almost nothing about the whole GL thing (never read the comics), but the bits and pieces I have learned on this site and others make it sound like it *could* be entertaining.
I like Weaving. I would prefer Jeremy Irons, but Weaving would be terrific.
If only we had that time machine so we wouldn’t need that wooden plank Ryan Reynolds
I think that Weaving would be PERFECT for Sinestro (although Jeremy Irons is also a good choice.) Unlike Lord Garth, I happen to think Reynolds is going to do a great job as the GL. He was great as Deadpool in Wolverine and he’s got a grat, witty attitude about him. This could very well be an epic superhero movie IF it’s done properly.
*oops…I meant a “…great, witty attitude about him.” LOL
At this point do we know if Weaving could even play the part? Weaving is working in the “Hobbit,” so he might be kinda busy. It’s sorta unfortunate that Iron’s isn’t younger, he’s around 61 now. He probably wouldn’t even consider it. It would be cool if he could pull it off though. You have to realize too, with so much pressure from every direction studios are paying actors less. It’s the economy man. From what I’ve read they’re not negotiating much these days.
Patent pending for your speculative piece Kofi but Weaving was my offering and a few more agreed with me so thanks for the shout out..oh right you didn’t..
@ Greenknight
“Well, as a result of both MTV and our own post regarding the role of Sinestro, an interesting consensus was reached (at least amongst our Screen Rant readers).”
Yeah, no shout-out at all. LOL. Maybe I should have listed you all out one by one? Oh right… then it becomes an 11 pg post.
Naa Kofi, just use a smaller font…
AN 11 page post would be fine with me.
I claim the Dakota Fanning idea. I’m telling you, she would be A-W-S-O-M-E!!!!!
ROTFLMAO!!
I vote for 11 page posts.
Vic
….PERFECT!
Amen brother! it’s like someone’s been reading what I post here. My first choice for Sinestro was Hugo Weaving he has the look he is very perfect for the role and here is my ideal cast for the Green Lantern movie( mind you ,I wanted Chris Pine to play Hal Jordan but since Ryan was picked I had to adjust my list)
Ryan Reynolds- Green Lantern/Hal Jordan
Hugo Weaving- Sinestro
Rachel Mcadams- Carol Ferris
David Dinklage-Ganthet
Big Show Paul Wight (wrestler) -Kilowog
Common (rapper) John Stewart
Sean William Scott- Guy Gardner
Tricia Helfer- Bodika
I’m tired of reading fanboy speculation on this issue: the truth is that such a casting is never going to happen… most US filmgoers have a very distorted image of Hugo Weaving’s tastes and career. Yes, he’ll occasionally do big budget genre films (only if the script is good), but they aren’t his preference, and he’s often avowed a dislike for “humorless villain” roles. His participation in one very good comic based film doesn’t mean he’s ready to sign up for every weak, opportunistic role that the genre belches out. He prefers small indie films and realistic character roles. In fact he’ll be busy with a play through the fall, then has a role lined up in the Australian docudrama Oranges and Sunshine. Believe it or not, he’s probably unfamiliar with the Green Lantern project, and would almost certainly turn the Sinestro role down if offered it. I was recently cajoled into watching a recent animated version of Green Lantern… Hugo Weaving would be wasting his time doing that kind of rubbish. Filmgoers who are really his fans should stop fixating on Megatron (which he called “just a voice job I did on a Saturday afternoon”, not a pinnacle in his career) and watch Last Ride or Little Fish… ie the kind of films Hugo Weaving is genuinely invested in making.
@Else
The Matrix – a computer program.
Lord of the Rings trilogy – an elf
The Hobbit – an elf
V for Vendetta – a masked vigilante
Vic
Yeah have we heard Sinestro will definitely be in the film? And have any official people involved with the movie said anything about his casting or his role in the film? And if he would be mainly a good guy in the first film, then who would be the main villain in the first film? Also does Sinestro start out purple or does his skin become purple later on?
@Else – What you say may be true ( I highly doubt it though) but you’d be surprised what roles actors will take for $10+ million dollars.
Daniel-Day Lewis or Guy Pearce would be good, too.
Who should play Sinestro?
This is probably the most important and most difficult casting decision those folks have to make. I love your comments about how Shakespearean the role is, and do not forget “The visual appearance of Sinestro was based upon British actor David Niven.” David Niven was an incredible actor, and Sinestro is giftedly deceptive as well. As with Hal Jordan, it is so important than Sinestro is played by someone who visually fits the part. Sinestro’s appearance is very critical, meaningful, because it is actually a histrorical reference. The purple mustachioed snob who sneers at “alley rats” Rainer and Jordan, harkens back to a day when minorities were not really seen as part of the fabric of American culture but rather threats from beyond the borders of freedom. This was a more naive and apologetically racist time when most Americans saw White people where the good guys, and foreigners as sources of danger. To me, an Egyptian-American who has lived in both Egypt and the U.S., Sinestro looks so Arab!!! Its what draws me to him, what better example of how the Mad Men of the 1960’s saw ‘Foreign Aliens’. Please please please, if you are listening, casting people, consider a Latino or Arabic actor, because really, there aren’t to many good parts in movies for them, and just a lot of terrorist roles. Besides hugo weaving? face is all wrong for Sinestro, we need English diplomat meets the Sultan of Secrecy…. How about GHASSAN MASSOUD, who played Salladin in the film Kingdom of Heaven.
What's your opinion? Leave a Reply!
Go to Gravatar.com and upload your own (we'll wait)!