In speaking with MTV, The Green Lantern feature film director Martin Campbell addressed rumors that Jackie Earle Haley was first choice to play Sinestro and offered up some confirmations of his own.
“No, that’s completely wrong,” Campbell said in regards to Haley being under consideration for the role. “In fact, we’re in negotiations with Mark Strong to play Sinestro.”
Strong was last seen playing Lord Blackwood in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes alongside Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. He will next be seen in Kick-Ass and Robin Hood, and also has a role in John Carter of Mars.
Campbell went on to state he had never heard of the Haley rumor before in his life and countered that Strong is not only a wonderful actor but already naturally looks a lot like the villain.
Going further, Campbell confirms that Sinestro is not the only villain set to appear in The Green Lantern. “Well, Kilowag will be [in it],” he said. “Tomar-Re is in it. Sinestro is in it. Abin Sur is in it.” And we already know Hector Hammond is in it as Peter Sarsgaard is currently in negotiations for the role.
The Green Lantern is shaping up to be one of the most robust and character-filled origin stories brought from the comics to the big screen. “The origin story of Green Lantern is complex, probably one of the most complex, which makes it a challenge to get it right,” concluded Campbell. The challenge is on when The Green Lantern begins principal photography this March in Louisiana.
