Even with all the numerous DC Comics movies on the horizon, it's strange that the Green Lantern Corps movie hasn't happened yet. Following the critically lambasted 2011 Green Lantern film, Warner Bros. revealed they were giving this superhero another shot at silver screen stardom back in October 2014 when they announced their first release slate for the DC Extended Universe. Originally slated for a July 24, 2020 with the title Green Lantern Corps, the project ended up generating much speculation in the months and years after its announcement, with the likes of Tyrese Gibson even speaking publicly about having met WB brass for the role titular superhero role.
As the years went on, a lack of concrete development began to plague the production. Even after David S. Goyer was hired to write the film and Christopher McQuarrie expressed interest in directing it, little in the way of movement came about for the project. Despite the amount of potential in doing a brand-new cinematic take on Green Lantern, the Green Lantern Corps movie has ended up sputtering out just like many of the post-2017 projects announced by WB/DC back in October 2014.
With there being no way it can make its July 2020 release date now, DC fans have begun to question what's taking so long to get this endeavor off the ground. Though the lack of concrete progress on Green Lantern Corps can be frustrating, it's also understandable due to a number of circumstances. For one thing, the entire layout of DC Films has changed radically in the five years since Green Lantern Corps was announced. Walter Hamada has been installed as the head of the DC Films division while DC has also been working to incorporate a more flexible sense of tone between individual projects.
Such behind-the-scenes moves have also meant that DC Films is taking a more measured approach to releasing their movies - especially which ones they greenlight. A new report about the state of DC Films unveiled, among other revelations, that the studio was concerned with getting movies off the ground in their own due time rather than chasing a release date. The report also made mention of Green Lantern Corps by stating that the film will be moving forward once a new script by Geoff Johns is delivered, something that he's been working on for quite a while.
Johns' involvement in HBO Max's Green Lantern TV series is likely also delaying Green Lantern Corps. At this current time, both projects appear to be peacefully co-existing, but with a high-profile Green Lantern TV show on the way, Warner Bros. likely isn't rushing into simultaneously green-lighting the Green Lantern Corps movie unless they have something truly amazing to work with. Clearly, Green Lantern Corps currently has a lot of obstacles keeping it from hitting the big screen. While this is regrettable for fans of the Green Lantern side of the DC Universe, there is hope yet. With the TV show getting underway and still talk of the movie, Warner Bros. is still interested in Green Lantern's on-screen future. Perhaps that will one day lead to the Green Lantern Corps movie.