Episode Transcript
[00:00:06] Speaker A: Welcome back, everybody, to another episode of the Nerd Jet Report. I'm your host, Pablo. And joining me, as always, is Mister Brian Schultz. Brian.
Green Lantern. The names. Ever since we started doing our lineup, the names have just been popping up. Of the possibles, there have been rumors of certain individuals that we did not have on our list, Brian, because we thought, haven't they done enough already in the superhero genre?
Can we find somebody else?
A few names did pop up that I was like, yeah, that makes sense. That could. That could work, but we'll talk about it. But now there seems to be a hunt, Brian, for this role.
Where are we with that? Who are the names that have been encircled around for the possibility of playing Hal Jordan?
[00:01:03] Speaker B: Well, the biggest one is that an offer was made to Josh Brolin, and he said, no, good for you. That's confirmed. Hollywood Reporter had that story. So our former thanos, our former cable, that's who they wanted. And he said he passed, and I would suspect he passed in part for that reason, that he's already done multiple things, albeit in the Marvel side, but has kind of had maybe had enough and didn't want to do a tv format that could be a movie format later for that. The other two names that were prominently featured as being on the list, but it doesn't seem like they're offering right now is. Or Ewan McGregor, Obi Wan Kenobi, obviously, and Matthew McConaughey, who HBO Warners would have history with. If you think about, you know, true detective, which they've said Lanterns is sort of a true detective style show. He was on the original version. He also was in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar. So this is a guy familiar, more to Warner's than anything else. I personally did not care for either of those choices.
[00:02:09] Speaker A: What was the other choice?
[00:02:10] Speaker B: It was Ewan McGregor or Matthew McConaughey. I wasn't a huge fan of either of those ideas.
I think Brolin could have done it. He certainly has, like, an arrogance sometimes. Like, if you look at his character in the Sicario movies. But I also don't feel like it would have been an inspired Hal Jordan. I feel like that would have been a safe hall.
[00:02:33] Speaker A: Yeah. If we're gonna see these characters for the first time, let it feel like the first time we're seeing this character.
[00:02:44] Speaker B: Especially because they've got to distance themselves and they are with the age, but really distance themselves in the Ryan Reynolds take on how right it is out there, it does exist. So you really need to go in a really different direction. I think, and I don't know. None of these three struck me as it. I don't know that you and I have hit it, other than if Bradley Cooper wanted to take the call, but I just. Other than that, I don't know that there is, like, we've seen a rumored name where it was like, aha. Like, that's Chris Pine.
See, I would say not old enough.
And I don't think Chris Pine, I mean, Chris Pine obviously was Steve Trevor. I think Chris Pine could be Hal younger. Hal, I think Chris Pine would be great. I think if they're going for grizzled 50, 50 to 60 year old Hal, then I don't think Chris Pine, he's just too, he's too handsome. He's too, he's too young looking, I think, to pull that off.
Do you think Brolin could have, like, had he said yes, what would have been your reaction?
[00:03:45] Speaker A: It would have been hard to separate myself mentally from Thanos, that's all.
[00:03:53] Speaker B: I mean, it would be very different than either of the comics characters he played, right. I mean, the schtick and the appeal, and he wouldn't really be in the prosthetics the same way he, I mean, cable had a lot of prosthetics, too, and even before, before I got to Thanos being somewhat motion capture or whatever, but, yeah, I don't know. I just, when I saw it, I was like, you know, cocky pilot who's been through a lot mentoring Jon Stewart. It just didn't, it didn't add up for me.
[00:04:17] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:04:19] Speaker B: Did you have any new names for.
[00:04:22] Speaker A: Hal other than the Chris Pine?
Cause I'm looking for that guy that has that arrogance and that cockiness that can play Hal Jordan, and he has that.
And I'm pretty sure there's some others out there, too. I just haven't seen it yet. I haven't said aha for certain characters. I did say a huh for someone else, though.
[00:04:45] Speaker B: Yeah, we'll get to that. So it's funny in that state. And the reason we're going to talk about that actor, I will say this is too old for Ba how.
But when I saw him in the film, I was like, man, if he was 15 years younger, 20 years younger, maybe he could have pulled it off. Don Johnson. When I saw him on screen in the movie, I was like, you know Don Johnson now? No way. But Don Johnson 1520 years ago when he still kind of was Sonny Crockett, but not, but, but aged. I was like, maybe. Maybe he could have been hell, but I mean, now he's 75. I mean, that's too much of an ass.
[00:05:20] Speaker A: Now, unless he's a sceptere.
Do we want to talk about the number one and only one? The only choice.
Cause anything else would be just. I mean, granted, I like Sterling K. Brown for Jon Stewart.
[00:05:47] Speaker B: Yeah. I think, again, I think if we were going older John, I think he would be outstanding. I think he's. He's almost 50, so I think it's gonna be too old for what they're saying. But I agree with you that in some ways, if we're doing older John, younger Hal, Chris Pine and Sterling K. Brown might have been in a very interesting combination. That's not what they're casting.
[00:06:09] Speaker A: Yeah, they're being very specific as to what they want. Yes, but Brian, when I heard of the movie. Cause it was. I think it was. I saw it just scrolling through news articles, whatever. And the movie Rebel Ridge.
[00:06:29] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:06:30] Speaker A: Was being talked about and being praised, especially the actor himself in terms of how he portrayed that character.
And Brian, I saw the movie and I said, there it is.
[00:06:43] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:06:44] Speaker A: There's no need to look further. Call his agent now. Make it happen now. You don't got to do too much with physical anything. That's your guy we are referring to. And Aaron Pierre.
[00:06:59] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:07:01] Speaker A: In Rebel Ridge.
What did it remind you of?
Reacher slash. Something else, Brian, or just reacher. What was popping into your mind when you saw this?
[00:07:14] Speaker B: Well, I said it was more first blood. Me.
[00:07:16] Speaker A: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
[00:07:17] Speaker B: Then Reacher.
[00:07:18] Speaker A: Yes, yes, yes.
[00:07:20] Speaker B: And the reason I say that is because Reacher doesn't hesitate to kill anyone.
And part of what makes the movie great is that this guy has Batman's code of not doing that.
We want to do a show about Rebel Ridge as a movie, but if we're good. But the Aaron Pierre discussion. 30 years old.
Got some acclaim for Barry Jenkins underground railroad tv series, but has not hit big. This has the potential to be one of the great sliding doors sequences.
So if you will recall, he was signed to be the villain opposite Mahershal Ali in Blade.
[00:08:05] Speaker A: That's why I remember his name from.
[00:08:07] Speaker B: And at the time, nobody really knew who he was. And then he confirmed that as Blade went through all of its problems, his character was written out of the script and he was no longer part of the project. That moment. If he does go on to become Jon Stewart or something else, or honestly taking over the role in this movie, because this movie has its own troubled history, could wind up being one of those. We look back on it and it's like a what if, you know, what if Blade had happened with him as the villain and instead of where he winds up going, I agree with you, six foot three looks amazing. Sounds better.
[00:08:45] Speaker A: He's playing mufasa. He's voicing mufasa.
[00:08:49] Speaker B: But it's like, and he has a look. It's distinctive. And like, the minute you see it, you're kind of like, you know, he definitely could be a lantern. Like, you could like, just throw the suit on him. Like he looks like he looks like John physically. He moves and sound. I mean, you couldn't have a more perfect Jon Stewart. And he's right in the age bracket. He's gonna be hot off this movie. They'd be idiots not to call his agent and try, if they haven't already.
[00:09:15] Speaker A: They'd be idiots if they haven't called him already, Brian.
Already. He should have been getting the call because I'm pretty sure these movies aren't seen the first time when they release.
I'm pretty sure people talk about this guy. This guy watched when this movie comes out. I don't know. I'm pretty sure, man. So who knows what's happening on that end? Because right now we're only hearing about we need Hal Jordan.
[00:09:42] Speaker B: Yeah, but in theory, Stewart is the lead. I mean, I guess they're co leads, but the pitch has been, it's a Stuart, you know, one and Hal one a series. And so this is, yeah, this, this is definitely one of those force of nature performances where you just like every, the second he's on screen, you can't take your eyes off.
[00:10:01] Speaker A: And it's amazing when, and not to take away the attention of, of what should happen, but when I heard the name Matthew McConaughey.
Are you kidding me? Yo, all right, all right, all right.
Nah. Yo, it's like, come on, man. But whatever.
[00:10:29] Speaker B: But this guy, there is a respect to the performance.
[00:10:32] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:10:34] Speaker B: He, his, his monologuing, like his monologue about pace is. That is one of the best things I've seen in a long time. You guys have to see the movie to see. But then his emotion. Right. He keeps it under wraps and then when he breaks it out.
[00:10:50] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah.
[00:10:51] Speaker B: Is a birth alert for there's a death in the family. And then also in support of, you know, kind of the friends he makes along the way in this movie. Like, he has real dramatic chops. Like, you put him in this role and it is not a wooden superhero league. Like, this is somebody that can make Jon Stewart into both the troubled soldier that Jon Stewart was the intergalactic, obviously, hero that he becomes. But you know that if we go back to the animated series like that, Jon Stewart has a lot of emotion. Like, that's part of what makes that rendition kind of fun, right? He falls in love. He gets really, you know, he gets really angry at times. Like, so it's just, there's no need, you know.
[00:11:38] Speaker A: You know what this reminds me of?
That scene in heat when the dude is telling her about the deal.
[00:11:47] Speaker B: Which one? Okay, go ahead.
[00:11:49] Speaker A: And he's. And he says to her, but, you know, I don't got to sell you this because this kind of stuff right here sells itself.
[00:11:55] Speaker B: Michael T. Williams.
[00:12:00] Speaker A: Come on. This sells itself. You don't gotta.
But, yeah, let's see.
Let's see.
[00:12:10] Speaker B: This will be very interesting before we leave. Aaron Pierre, though, it's in the category of what ifs. This isn't the only role he could play.
Maybe not. They start over with Blade. He shouldn't be the villain. He should actually be the day walker.
[00:12:28] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. Oh, that part. I just thought about it right now when we were talking, and I was.
[00:12:33] Speaker B: I was watching them. I was like, just with his eyes, his, his look, the way he moves. I was like, any. That voice. I was like, if you want something that wasn't Wesley Snipes but definitely screamed kind of daywalker, like part ninja. Like, I was like, I think they might have if they're gonna do it, and we'll talk about it another show. If they're really gonna wipe the slate clean here, like, maybe they should call him back and say, you want the lead this time.
[00:13:01] Speaker A: For me, Brian? I would have to see what that looks like. I would have to have him get the read for this. Yeah, he definitely has a look for Jon Stewart. I just give it to him.
[00:13:14] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. This is. Yeah.
[00:13:16] Speaker A: Blade for blade. I would have to see him read and see if it, you know, if it captures that imagination.
[00:13:25] Speaker B: It also just fascinated me because, you know, it's not totally fair to Mahershala Ali, but we got to see Aaron Pierre move, like, and do real physical work in this movie. And I was impressed and so made me was like, okay, if you want, you know, a sort of agile, powerful blade who you could train up in sort of the martial arts, like, this guy looks like he could handle that.
So, I mean, I don't know if he quite gets a snipes athleticism, because Wesley Snipes is probably one of the more athletic leads we've had 50 years. But it at least crossed my mind, at least crossed my mind.
[00:14:02] Speaker A: I thought you were going to go the Black Panther route.
[00:14:05] Speaker B: No, that's not what I thought. Yeah, I don't. He has gravitas, but I don't think it's the right gravitas and necessarily the right look for that. That's not what I would have. Yeah, I gotta be honest. The other thing I thought of in this day and age was, was there a role, like, there? I'm not saying I would do this there, but I said it was first blood meets Batman. There was like, a little bit of. If you wanted to do an alt universe Batman, could he do it? Because that voice was definitely a Batman style voice. I'm not saying we should do it. Oh, no. It just crossed my mind of what roles could you maybe change the ethnicity of safely that he actually would be a great lead for. I'm sure there are a few out there.
[00:14:49] Speaker A: And he's 30. Right. The guy that I. Yeah, the guy that I said, I forget his name. Um, that should be Black Panther. I told him to you when we do Tracy. Yeah, he's 31.
[00:15:04] Speaker B: Interesting. He looks older than the part. That part made him look a little older because they had him like, I think he would look like he was almost, like, gaunt and. Yeah, he was ragged a little bit, but, yeah. So, yeah, I mean, those are the sweet spots, but, yeah.
[00:15:19] Speaker A: So, yeah. Let us know in the comment section below what you guys think of, uh, DC's efforts or Warner brothers efforts to find their. How.
Who would you pick?
[00:15:32] Speaker B: They're clearly offering money. Because Josh. If you offer Josh Brolin, that means you were willing to commit some dollars.
Exactly. Is an A list. That's an A list actor. So.
[00:15:41] Speaker A: But here's the thing. I think most of the individuals who are being approached with this are looking at this role like, could this ruin me? Is this, uh, you know, am I gonna be made fun of that? You gotta, because it can't be. Oh, I'm gonna be great. I don't know.
I think the superhero genre right now.
[00:16:02] Speaker B: Brian, I hear you, but I would say, like, having Lindelof and Mundi around, it helps your cause when you're making that call. That, like, this is not a joke.
[00:16:12] Speaker A: And also let us know in the comment section below what you guys think of Aaron Pierre. Take it on the role as Jon Stewart. That's. Come on. Come on.
Right? It's like, what are we talking about?
Any other name is like, nah. You know, because nobody really knows this guy. I'm pretty sure they know him now.
[00:16:34] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:16:34] Speaker A: But we'll want to see more of him because we only saw a glimpse of him in this movie. So there is reason to get this guy now so that he can embody this role because we just can't see, continue to see the same faces.
And we need to treat these roles like we're casting for the role of Jon Stewart. And this guy gotta be Jon Stewart.
[00:17:01] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:17:01] Speaker A: Robert Downey junior was Tony Stark, Chris Hemsworth, all them dudes. Black widow. All them dudes. That's who you think of.
[00:17:10] Speaker B: Yeah. And like, you should be treat. And they are, I think, to their, you know, HBO is treating this series like we're going for the Emmy. Like this. We're going for the Emmy. That's what we're known for and that's what we're going after. So, like, if you take on this part and you believe in it, that's how you should view it. You should view it as, like, I have an opportunity to win an Emmy as Jon Stewart in the drama category, and if it really hits, I have a chance to play him on the big screen as part of the DC Universe.
[00:17:40] Speaker A: What happens if it don't, though? That's the thing. That's the scary part. I mean, you go into these things perhaps not even thinking that you're looking at it as a robo because of how big this is. Brian, this is real deal here.
[00:17:56] Speaker B: But I mean, HBO, I mean, to their credit, when HBO has really put money behind a flagship series, how many of those have been total trash? I can't think of that many. I mean, the upside's been much higher, right? Like Game of Thrones or succession or, you know, true detective or the Sopranos. Like they.
The wise guys when they put you in that slot. Typically, it's been a good, well received show.
[00:18:24] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I don't know if you did. Have you seen wise guys on Max?
[00:18:30] Speaker B: No.
[00:18:32] Speaker A: Check it out.
It's a two part documentary on the making of the Sopranos.
[00:18:39] Speaker B: Oh, I've heard about this. Okay. I've not.
[00:18:42] Speaker A: So, yeah. Let me know what you guys think of the Green Lantern. Latest Green Lantern news.
Who would you pick for certain these certain roles? Hit that like a subscribe button. We'll see you next time on another gym report. The show goes on.
