Ryan Reynolds’ Massive Sci-Fi Flop Is Resurfacing on Streaming Amid Latest TV Hit

A movie once remembered more for its misfires than its superhero ambitions has found another life on streaming. Ryan Reynolds’ DC superhero film has climbed into HBO Max’s current movie rankings, as DC’s newer Lanterns series pulls fresh attention toward the mythology.

Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern finds new audience amid Lanterns’ HBO Max run

As per the Flix Patrol, Green Lantern is at No. 9 on HBO Max’s top 10 movies list. The 2011 superhero film follows Hal Jordan, a reckless test pilot who becomes the first human recruited into the Green Lantern Corps. An alien ring gives him extraordinary abilities, but Jordan must quickly learn the ropes when Parallax, an alien parasite, threatens to consume the entire universe.

Martin Campbell directed the film, with Reynolds joined by Blake Lively, Mark Strong, Peter Sarsgaard, Angela Bassett, and Michael Clarke Duncan.

The movie carried enormous expectations and a reported production budget of roughly $200 million, yet its theatrical run failed to justify that investment. Critics largely rejected the film, while audiences also responded unevenly.

Its CGI, uneven storytelling, costume design, and heavy exposition became frequent targets, turning what Warner Bros. hoped would launch a major franchise into a one-and-done disappointment. Green Lantern currently sits at about 5.5/10 on IMDb and 25% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Now, the timing of its streaming revival feels almost tailor-made. HBO’s Lanterns has put the Corps back in the spotlight, with more than 9.3 million views during its first three days across HBO and HBO Max, according to Variety. HBO also reported 6.6 million U.S. viewers in that window, marking its strongest three-day HBO Max premiere to date.

The new series takes a very different route, pairing Kyle Chandler’s veteran Hal Jordan with Aaron Pierre’s rookie John Stewart for a murder investigation in Nebraska that uncovers a larger mystery. The eight-episode DC Studios production premiered August 16 and has earned a 93% Rotten Tomatoes critics score, with an 82% audience rating in the supplied report.