Considering the cornucopia of superhero movies leaping to the big screen in the next couple of years, moviegoers can't be blamed for confusing them every now and again ... especially when two of the most high-profile projects currently revving up for cinematic glory are so inconsiderately entitled 'The Green Lantern' and 'The Green Hornet.'Never fear! Moviefone swoops in to the rescue with a blow-by-blow comparison of 'Lantern' and 'Hornet,' beginning with the fact that one stars a super-jacked guy from 'Wolverine' and the other a super-stoned dude from 'Knocked Up.' -- By Tom DiChiara
'The Green Lantern'
Who's the Hero? Ryan Reynolds, who this summer has displayed both his superhero prowess in 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' (he played sword-wielding Deadpool) and his leading-man charm in 'The Proposal,' nabbed the coveted title role after beating out a stacked field that included Bradley Cooper, Jared Leto and Justin Timberlake.
What's It About? Based on the DC Comics hero, 'Lantern' casts Reynolds as a hot-shot Air Force pilot who's chosen by a dying alien to wield a powerful green ring that makes him a part of a squadron of pilots tasked with maintaining peace within the universe.
Who's Co-Starring? Actually, so far Reynolds is the only actor attached or rumored.
When Can I See It? June 17, 2011
Who's Directing? Action-adept 'Casino Royale' director Martin Campbell will pilot 'Lantern' to the silver screen.
What's the Verdict? With two Bond movies, 'Casino Royale' and 'GoldenEye,' under his belt, Campbell is no stranger to epic flicks driven by spectacle and action. And he's got a charismatic, acid-tongued, physically fit leading man in Reynolds. Translation: This one's going to soar.
'The Green Hornet'
Who's the Hero? Seth Rogen may not seem like the quintessential superhero, but the script he and 'Superbad' writing partner Evan Goldberg turned in to Sony put a fresh comedic spin on the film that (bonus!) practically begged for Rogen to be cast as its vigilante hero.
What's It About? 'Hornet,' which began as a radio serial in the 1930s and is best known for its incarnation as a '60s TV show, stars Rogen as Britt Reid, a wealthy, famous and debonair (seriously) newspaper publisher by day and a mask-wearing crime-fighter by night. Aided by his trusty chauffeur/martial-arts-expert sidekick Kato, Reid trolls the nighttime streets looking for baddies to pummel with his fists and hilarious one-liners.
Who's Co-Starring? Cameron Diaz is in negotiations to play a reporter and Rogen's love interest, and Nicolas Cage is in early talks to play Rogen's gangster arch-nemesis. 'Kung Fu Hustle' star/director Stephen Chow had been on tap to play Kato, but recently dropped out to pursue other projects.
When Can I See It? July 9, 2010
Who's Directing? Chow was also originally set to direct, but was replaced by 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' director Michel Gondry.
What's the Verdict? A superhero action-comedy starring charming everyman Rogen, written by the 'Superbad' guys and helmed by a man who made one of the most indelibly original movies in the last decade ('Eternal Sunshine') -- do you even need to ask? We're giddy as hell.
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