Green Lantern Movie to star Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan

Ryan Reynolds is no stranger to saving the world from the clutches of evil—he’s donned the old mask and cape a time or two in his day, from roles in “Blade: Trinity” to “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” But Reynolds’ latest kick-ass role is of a different caliber. The 33-year old Canadian born actor is slated to play the role of Hal Jordan himself in the upcoming onscreen adaption of DC Comics’ legendary hero The Green Lantern—an opportunity that literally has the actor ready to pee his pants.

It seems that the role requires Reynolds to fly—meaning he has to strap into a harness for some fancy wire-work that rockets him through the air at up to 60 feet per second. “”The first time you do it, you’re seriously considering an adult diaper,” the actor told EW.

Bowel movements aside, playing the Green Lantern may be a pivotal high in Reynolds’ career, a fact that hit the young actor last year when he first laid eyes upon the costume he’d be donning to portray one of the most celebrated heroes of all time. “It was a moment when I was like, ‘This is happening, and it’s happening in the right way,’ ” Reynolds told MTV News last fall. “That’s a pretty cool, definitive moment for me.”

Entertainment Weekly has debuted a first look at the verdant costume—and, perhaps even more interestingly to some, the handsome Reynolds as Hal Jordan—in their July 16th issue. The cover image depicts a determined-looking Reynolds rocking a luminous green mask, skintight Green Lantern garb, and the iconic alien power ring that brings Hal Jordan’s thoughts to life. “Will and imagination are his superpowers,” said Reynolds. “We need a circus of Timothy Learys to think of things Hal would invent with his ring.”

Directed by Martin Campbell and costarring a bevy of brilliant Hollywood actors such as Blake Lively, Mark Strong, Tim Robbins and Peter Sarsgaard, the action flick is set to hit theaters June 17, 2011. Until then, ladies, you’ll just have to sit tight and stick to drooling over the film’s publicity pictures.

Photo from Mark H. via Wikimedia