Ryan Reynolds has signalled he would be open to making a cameo in HBO Max's Lanterns, the DC series starring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre, effectively softening his long-standing distance from the Green Lantern character he played in the widely panned 2011 film. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Reynolds credited the much-mocked movie with shaping his career, saying he "owes his entire career" to it despite its poor reception. The remarks matter because Reynolds has previously used the film as a punchline, most notably in a Deadpool 2 post-credits scene, making his newly warm tone towards the franchise notable for fans.

Green Lantern, also starring Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Angela Bassett and Tim Robbins, took $237 million worldwide but scored just 25% with critics and 45% with audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, and is often ranked among the worst superhero films. By contrast, Lanterns, which follows Hal Jordan and John Stewart investigating a mysterious murder case linked to extraterrestrial activity in Nebraska, has been well received, holding a 92% critics' score and 79% audience score after three episodes. Reynolds' character is not currently part of DC's official continuity, so any cameo remains unconfirmed, though the article notes a "humorous exchange" with DC Studios boss James Gunn hints at future possibilities.