Josh Brolin was offered the role of Hal Jordan on HBO’s Lanterns before Kyle Chandler got it — and he told ComicBook about it with the kind of graciousness that only a professional can muster. The actor, best known as Thanos, said he was happy the part went to Chandler, calling him “wonderful” and predicting the show would still work out.
“I love him as an actor, I think he’s wonderful, actually,” Brolin said. “And, you know, we’ll see what’s down the line, man.”
Brolin’s Green Lantern Turn
The offer came in 2024. Brolin spoke to ComicBook about turning it down, praising the actor who got the part instead. His comments were warm but brief, and they carried a note of relief that the show found the right fit.
The part of Hal Jordan fits Brolin’s wheelhouse. He has played gruff characters across film and television, including:
- Time-traveling mutant soldier Cable in Deadpool 2
- CIA officer Matt Graver in the Sicario movies
- House Atreides weapons master Gurney Halleck in the Dune franchise
Each of those roles shares traits with the “Lanterns” version of Hal Jordan, which is likely why Brolin was sought for the role in the first place.
The Thanos Factor
Brolin’s Thanos is central to his career.
That history made his rejection of Lanterns notable. Brolin’s decision to step away was a calculated one, and his public praise for Chandler was the right move.
“Who is it going to be, Kyle Chandler?”
Brolin asked that question in his interview, and the answer became official shortly after. Chandler plays the seasoned hero Hal Jordan opposite Aaron Pierre’s rookie Lantern John Stewart.
A Western That Missed
Brolin has played a gritty DC character before. In 2010, he starred as the titular gunslinger in Jonah Hex, the Western action flick based on the comics character. The film followed Hex as he left his life as a Confederate soldier behind after refusing to burn a hospital down. He became a bounty hunter and tracked his sadistic former boss, who killed his family and left him with severe facial injuries.
The cast included Megan Fox, John Malkovich, and Michael Fassbender. Despite the talent, the film failed to ignite the box office. It made less than $11 million from a budget of $47 million and was considered a major bomb.
Critics were harsh. The film earned a measly 11% Rotten Tomatoes score, and the audience score wasn’t much better at just 20%.
Brolin blamed the failure on an inexperienced director and studio interference. Speaking to Variety in 2023, he recalled the pressure of choosing a director for the project.
“I loved that [Hayward] was excited, but he just didn’t have the experience and he didn’t treat it like I would imagine somebody would want to treat it — to run back to their house at the end of their every day and watch tonal inspirations and Scorsese movies or this or that. He would be out partying instead,” Brolin recalled. “And then the studio took it over and every time that’s happened, in my experience, it has only gotten worse.”
The Casting Exchange
The exchange of praise between Brolin and Chandler is notable. Brolin said he loved Chandler as an actor and wished him well, even as he turned down the role himself.
The show is well on its way to becoming one of the best live-action DC Comics TV shows, largely because of the chemistry between Chandler and Pierre.
| Role | Film/Show | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Hal Jordan | Lanterns | HBO series |
| Thanos | Various films | Marvel Cinematic Universe |
| Jonah Hex | Jonah Hex | 2010 |
| Cable | Deadpool 2 | — |
| Matt Graver | Sicario | — |
| Gurney Halleck | Dune | — |
The story is a reminder that casting decisions are rarely simple. A bomb like Jonah Hex can sour an actor on a genre, and a failed project can change a career path.
Source material: “The Marvel Actor Who Almost Played Hal Jordan On Lanterns Before Kyle Chandler,” TVLine.
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