Christopher McQuarrie's DC Film Would Have Been Henry Cavill's Superman vs Green Lantern

Dan Lalonde
May 29
2 min read

Which Filmmaker do you wish would make a Superman film? I would go with Michael Bay who has already made actors Will Smith, Ben Affleck, and Nicolas Cage look like superheroes.

In a revelation that’s sure to spark curiosity among DC fans, Christopher McQuarrie revealed on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast his version of Superman never made it to screen—but it would have offered a bold twist: Henry Cavill’s Superman in conflict with Green Lantern. McQuarrie didn't say if he wanted Ryan Reynolds to continue in the role of Hal Jordan.

The concept centered on reinventing Green Lantern’s notoriously difficult power set. “It was ‘Green Lantern’ that came to me, and the power is very challenging,” McQuarrie explained. “I cracked it… giving the power a flaw, so it wasn’t pure invincibility.”

That flaw? The power ring’s limited energy, which could deplete at critical moments. It gave the character much-needed vulnerability—and narrative tension. The costume, however, remained “another thing” entirely.

Intriguingly, Cavill contributed insights that revealed parallels between Superman and Green Lantern. “I suddenly realised how these two characters had similarities… an amazing conflict and universe-expanding resolution.”

The unproduced Superman film would have opened with a powerful, dialogue-free sequence revealing the emotional core of the iconic hero. “Superman is about hope… being inspiring and that joy the character created,” McQuarrie emphasized.

Though the project never materialized, the idea teases a rich, untapped storyline within the DC multiverse.

Interestingly, Green Lantern will return—albeit in a different form—in James Gunn’s upcoming Superman reboot, portrayed by Nathan Fillion, who’s also set to appear in Lanterns and Peacemaker Season 2. Comment below on your thoughts.