Sorry David Corenswet, James Gunn’s Best DCU Casting Rivals Robert Downey Jr.

Ever since the DCU started, everyone has been waiting for a legendary casting that would have an impact as Robert Downey Jr.’s did for the MCU. With Lanterns, fans finally got that with Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan. The Friday Night Lights star was a welcome surprise for fans, and his effortless performance has made him the definitive version of the character.

While James Gunn may have felt he hit it out of the park with David Corenswet as hopecore Superman, it is actually Chandler’s casting that has made the DCU more interesting now. It is the kind of against-the-grain pick that could define the DCU’s tone for years to come. 

Casting Kyle Chandler as DCU’s Green Lantern Was a Risk Similar to RDJ

Robert Downey Jr. was not the star he is now when he was cast as Iron Man. He was actually an industry pariah, known for his bad-boy antics, and was virtually blacklisted from Hollywood. Casting him as the face of a franchise that was still in its nascent stages and was working on a credit line was a huge gamble that Marvel Studios was just not willing to take.

However, it was a gamble that paid off well, with the role not only making him one of the biggest stars of Hollywood, but also making him the definitive version of the character. Tony Stark is Robert Downey Jr., and no one can say otherwise. While Kyle Chandler was not a pariah like that, casting him as Hal Jordan was not the obvious choice either.

Josh Brolin was initially offered the role of Hal Jordan, but when he declined, it went to Kyle Chandler. The actor is known for playing the coach in Friday Night Lights, which is an inspiring role but not exactly superhero material. However, he is a prestigious actor, with Emmy wins to his name.

Bringing an actor of that caliber and weathered screen presence into a supporting DCU project signals the same thing RDJ’s casting once did for Marvel: the studio is prioritizing texture and star power over stunt-casting a younger, more conventionally super lead.

Kyle Chandler’s Effortless Charm Transcends Lanterns to New Heights

Kyle Chandler in Lanterns | Credits: DC Studios

Lanterns is stylistically very different from what the MCU started out with, or even what the DCU has been doing with its other projects. Other shows in the franchise have been a bit on the edgier side, with the Peacemaker and Creature Commandos of the DCU bringing in James Gunn’s Guardians hangover.

However, Lanterns takes an interstellar story and gives it the True Detective treatment. Still, Kyle Chandler brings in a charm that fits right in with the tone. He has the kind of screen presence that could carry weight across the larger DCU, the same way Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark eventually became bigger than any single Iron Man movie. This is a huge win for James Gunn’s decisions.

While David Corenswet’s Superman came in with his boy scout energy, which has impressed quite a few fans, Kyle Chandler’s sincere weariness brings a different level of gravitas to the franchise, one that is capable of getting a lot of attention for new-age fans. He may be a bit too old to be the face of a new franchise, but he certainly has the acting chops and charisma for it.

What do you think of Kyle Chandler in Lanterns? Comment below.

Lanterns is available to stream on HBO Max.