It's Just Movies

— by KATHLEEN COLLINS —

In a somewhat surprising move, Blake Lively has grabbed the role of Carol Ferris in Warner Bros.’ upcoming “Green Lantern,” an adaptation of the DC Comics superhero.

Lively will star opposite Ryan Reynolds, who will play the title role as well as Hal Jordan (Green Lantern’s alter ego).

In a Dec. 20 article on Latino Review, Lively was listed as one of five actresses who were said to be up for the role (alongside Jennifer Garner, Diane Kruger, Eva Green and Keri Russell).

The news of Lively’s casting was reported today by both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.

Although Lively was in the final five, a few factors seemed to make Lively unlikely to get the role. Although, the script calls for a 27-year-old Ferris, Lively is only 22. In addition, Ferris is a brunette, while Lively is typically a blonde.

According to THR’s HeatVision blog, “The search for the Martin Campbell-directed film’s leading lady was almost as intense as the one for its title star. The role called for a slightly older actress but Lively, who stars in the CW’s ‘Gossip Girl,’ impressed the studio and filmmakers with her audition. Warners was also impressed with her work in ‘The Town,’ its adaptation of the gritty Chuck Hogan novel directed by Ben Affleck now in post-production.”

Today’s news follows on the heels of the announcement by visual effects supervisor Karen Goulekas that the film had been officially greenlit on Wednesday.

Directed by Martin Campbell, “Green Lantern” is set to arrive in theaters June 17, 2011.

Follow Kathleen Collins on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Super_Kathleen.