ROTTEN TOMATOES: Common Confirms Justice League Involvement

Common Confirms Justice League Involvement

Cue the angry cries of a hundred Hal Jordan fans.

by Jeff Giles | February 14, 2008

Now that the writers are back to work, producers can begin addressing the uncertain futures of projects derailed by the strike -- such as George Miller's Justice League of America.

The JLA film had started production in Australia before Warner Bros. pulled the plug a few weeks ago, citing script concerns. Though it was then referred to as "on hold indefinitely," it stands to reason that the new WGA deal could get the ball rolling again. And at least one member of the cast is still interested in sticking around.

We're talking about Common, who confirmed months of rumors when he revealed to MTV Movies late last week that he was indeed set to go as Justice League's Green Lantern. He wouldn't get into plot details, but he made it clear he was happy to be involved:

"It's a blessing really, to know that I could potentially be this superhero. Justice League itself is an honor, and Green Lantern is an incredible character to play. It's a blessing to be associated with it. Just being a black person, a black man, playing a superhero is an honor in itself."

MTV described Common as being confident that JLA would move forward "relatively soon," quoting him as saying the movie was "in progress." Given how adamant Warners seemed to be about getting the film made pre-strike, it seems safe to assume he's right.

Source: MTV Movies

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(1-20 of 53 posts) | Reply

Gimy writes:
on Feb 14 2008 05:37 AM

ok...lets chill a lil' bit bra, you're not going to win an Oscar and odds are this is going to be a flo, so pipe down on all the NAACP awards you think you're going to get for it.

this movie is like Rosmary's baby...you know it should have been aborted, but it just refuses to go away and is going to happen whether we like it or not

(Reply to this)

Sarge77 writes:
on Feb 14 2008 05:47 AM

Yea, no need for the race card here.

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xenogears writes:
on Feb 14 2008 06:28 AM

What the ***** are you two talking about. First off there aren't very many Black Superheroes and as a black man myself I can say that to see the some of the few on screen is a nice change of things. All he is sayin is that it is an honor for him to play the Green Lantern. You here the kind of stuff from women who get to play a powerful female role. This doesn't have sh*t to do with the NAACP and Common is one the most well spoken individuals you will find "Gimy". The movie will still suck tho but how dare you critisize a man who is expressing his happines to play a role that few people, especially of color, ever get.

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SYNCHRKJ writes:
on Feb 14 2008 06:39 AM

In reply to this comment (#1574341)
Yeah, I'm pretty much in the same boat as Xeno. When I read that comment I'm not thinking "well, it looks like the man is getting ready for that NAACP award". The guy didn't even make one mention of it in his comments, and what's even more sad, when you think about it, is that you are automatically thinking that since this guys a black actor/rapper, the only thing he's looking at getting as far as black actors go, is a NAACP award.

And if he was, what's the problem with that? I'm just picking up that just like any other actor, actress, screenwriter, director, or etc., that he's just enjoying being apart of the project.

And as far as the "race card comment", that's kind of "ummmmmm" for me. The guys just making a statement that he's glad, of all things, to be playing a role you really don't see much of in popular cinema (on such a level:blockbuster, popcorn, summer fare), and when it happens, it's every full blue moon. Emphasis on "A FULL BLUE MOON". It's the same for other minority superheroes. They're just not as prominently seen on the big screen, no matter what you want to argue.

And I know that a lot of folks are gonna say "well it shouldn't matter as long as their good characters", which I whole heartedly agree with, but there's a crapload of heroes and heroines of color who can hold their own in a big budget, summer popcorn flick.

Still sort of worried about this movie though, but gonna give it a chance.

And for the Hal Jordan crew, I totally feel ya on that one, but I also want to give Jon Stewart a chance. Peace.

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RawIsRamsey writes:
on Feb 14 2008 07:01 AM

Well, it worked in Justice League Unlimited...but I still would have rather seen Hal Jordan or Guy Gardner.

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Matanuki writes:
on Feb 14 2008 07:05 AM

SYNCHRKJ, xenogears, you've said all that needed to be said. More, even. What bothers me is that you had to say it at all. A man is honored to be bringing a strong, Negro superhero to the big screen and automatically that's a call for reproach, an incitement to mean-spirited ridicule. Hmm. And non-racist whites always wonder why we remain suspicious of their in the closet intolerance...

Anyway, yeah I'm with the camp that is conditioned to think that this movie might likely suck. Do I want it to? Am I rooting for it to fail? No and no.

(Reply to this)

Shatter24 writes:
on Feb 14 2008 07:07 AM

Why won't this idea die. I don't want to see a bratpack Justice League, UNLESS they get the cast from Smallville to do it. At least, give fans some continuity. Common is fine, b/c Green Lantern has not yet been introduced, but Tom Welling needs to be Superman in this for me to want to go see it.

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Gimy writes:
on Feb 14 2008 07:39 AM

how dare i? do you see anybody whining over italians(like myself) getting a role thats NOT A THUG/GANGSTER/MOBSTER??? no, so i see no point in somebody playing the race card in this issue. i wish we could finally come up and say "Hey, this guy's a great actor". not "wow, he's the first black actor to...". do NOT bring race into an issue when its not needed. thats all i'm saying. its OLD and boring. way to COMPLETELY PMS on a simple comment though, jeeeeeeeeeeesus christ. the outrageous posts after that proves my point, get over the race issue. i have NEVER heard an italian say "god, i'm so proud as an italian to play such a prestigious super hero role". but good god, take a d3mn Midol people. the only people i truly despise without knowing are country white folk. sorry...they scare the h3ll out of me

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Feb 14 2008 07:46 AM

I cant lie I'm still looking foward to this, no matter how bad it could be. Come on its GEORGE MILLER (MAD MAX, ROAD WARRIOR) he could make this a good movie. I still would rather see this be a CGI motion capture (BEOWULF,POLAR EXPRESS,MONSTER'S HOUSE).

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TombstoneLawDog writes:
on Feb 14 2008 07:53 AM

Now for something completely unoriginal:

I'm as happy for this guy getting this role and being happy about it as a black man as I was reading about Christina Ricci being proud of her strong character as a woman. And my comment ends up being largely the same:

I don't care if the actor (or character, for that matter) is a neon-green vegisexual Botswanian yak-herder-- it won't change the fact that if the writing on this movie sucks, or this ends up being merely a corporate whoring exercise, then NONE OF THIS MATTERS.

And, to agree with most other posters--including myself-- this movie so far has had ALL the earmarks of a bloated, soul-less corporate exercise, worthy of catastrophic failure until I hear reason to believe otherwise.
...GET A CAST OF ADULTS TO PLAY ADULT SUPERHEROES, YOU SCREAMING AS#-WEASEL BASTARDS. Dunno how old 'Common' is...

(Reply to this)

Matanuki writes:
on Feb 14 2008 08:19 AM

In reply to this comment (#1574396)
Ah yes, so now he's whining over getting the role. Thanks for clearing that up for us, G man. But I'm afraid you err on the point of an Italians perspective on this matter being in any way comparable to a black one. Glad to hear though that you don't go around despising people you don't know. Two thumbs up for that. It is, after all, a symptom of intelligence.

However, it might behoove you to consider that there is a vast difference between irrational knee jerk racism and the lack of basic empathy one might need to see how Common would regard the role as significant. Italians are often portrayed as Mobsters in movies and shows, yes, but they've no history to report of a entire cinematic landscape that too often says they either only exists as threats, thugs, fools, or not at all.

Point is, you'll score no points here calling race matters "old" and "boring". Because, beg pardon, they might be old and boring to you, sure. But that's precisely because, for one, the lack of empathy I mentioned about, and, further, the fact that it is not something you HAVE to be conscious of. You have the luxury of simply sweeping it all under the rug as if it doesn't matter anymore, is a thing of the past, something that only exists in the minds of disgruntled blacks. A self-serving fantasy, my friend. And enough to evidence that you can never compare your Italian-American experience to an African-American's. Certainly not with that attitude.

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xenogears writes:
on Feb 14 2008 08:31 AM

In reply to this comment (#1574442)
Thank you, Matanuki. Beautifully put. I was close to becoming down right beligerant with "Gimy" for saying those are even close to the same ball park but you said all I wanted to in a way that wouldn't further a stereotype. Again, well put.

(Reply to this)

Ender7406 writes:
on Feb 14 2008 08:38 AM

When's a Puerto Rican gonna get a decent role? What about a Puerto Rican Flash? Or would that be too close to Speedy Gonzales? It's time the rum capital of the world got its defender.

...but seriously, are we still even MENTIONING race in this context? It's 2008 for god's sake, I'm pretty sure we all need to move past this crap.

Happy Puerto Rican History Month, by the way.

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Gimy writes:
on Feb 14 2008 08:50 AM

maton...the problem is it WON'T go away, thats exactly the problem i'm speaking of. you just admitted it yourself the italian/black isn't the same. why is it even a competition? the color of one's skin should not be an issue, just like fatness or a person's sex or sexual orientation shouldn't be an issue. and UNFORTUNATELY, i am aware of it. i see it everyday, i see people of all colors being mistreated in both ways. having an advantage because of skin color, and a disadvantage. does any other race have 2 spokesman, al and jesse, that come to their defense REGARDLESS of guilt? c'mon, did either of those cats EVER apologize for the Duke incident? i'm aware of the mistreatings of alot of people, but gimme a break, nobody set up a college fund for a poor italian kid from the city of chicago.

and i beg your pardon, if you can hear me on top of your high horse...but you ask ANYBODY in this country to name an italian ANYTHING in movies, and i bet they say the Godfather...or something to do with the mob. you're being ignorant on that.

and woo, i don't like country people. i fully admit that, i'm sorry...i can't go into a small town and feel comfortable because they all stare and make fun because i know what soap is. thats based on EXPERIENCE, i live in the midwest for christ sake.

and you're EXACTLY right, i do live in a fantasy...i wish one day we can actually NOT see people based on skin but who they are and what they represent in their respect for others.

are we done with this bs?!!? good grief. can we all agree, without mention of A FRIKKIN JOKE, that this movie is going to suck?

(Reply to this)

deneco4 writes:
on Feb 14 2008 08:53 AM

itll suck

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MarkusCominToGETCHA writes:
on Feb 14 2008 09:14 AM

i hear michael richards is playing the villain? apparently he shouts racist obscenities at african americans in comedy clubs to allow him to live forever. Oh and JLA should focus only on the heroes that are not already in their own franchises, i.e. Flash, Lantern, Aquaman, Wonder Woman (am i the only person that thinks Aquaman kicks ***??)

(Reply to this)

drdoom13 writes:
on Feb 14 2008 09:22 AM

we need a good irish/black superhero team that takes down the man... casting call for the immortal iron fist and power man!

(Reply to this)

ajmk123 writes:
on Feb 14 2008 09:25 AM

Yeah now we have to deal with the fagtastic John Stewart GL instead of the real Gl Hal Jordan.

(Reply to this)

zsmiller79 writes:
on Feb 14 2008 09:31 AM

Im actually looking forward to this movie. I think Common is a good choice to play GL. You cant go wrong with George Miller. I still have high hopes for this movie naysayers be damned! Now we need a Madman movie. Allred is a genius! Im also looking forward to the Green Arrow movie, Hes one of my favorite charachters in the DCU. Are they finally getting the Captain Marvel movie off the ground?

(Reply to this)

pjs916 writes:
on Feb 14 2008 09:37 AM

In reply to this comment (#1574396)
wow man you have some issues. there was no need to be sarcastic, and the reason why you never italians saying things like that is because Hollywood is predominantly caucasian. and the only reason why you can bring in a race card when referring to super hero movies is because if you were to look at the selections out there they are predominantly white males. i'm wondering if you would be saying the same thing if it were a woman saying that instead of a male of any color.

(Reply to this)

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