Update: Nope, it’s not a massive rumor. THR just ran the news that Justin Timberlake, Bradley Cooper and Ryan Reynolds have all been circling Green Lantern. The three had been in a ‘holding deal’ which expired this past Monday, but different producers on the film all had different favorites, and a consensus still hasn’t been reached. But with the announcement that they’ve come this far, we should hear a decision within the next few days. And if it is Reynolds, what does that do to Deadpool?

Original story follows:

AICN is posting a big but interesting rumor based on an email tip: supposedly Justin Timberlake is screen testing to appear as Hal Jordan in the Green Lantern movie for Warner Bros., and that he’s one of the actors in serious consideration for the role. This is wildly unsubstantiated stuff and therefore not to be taken too seriously. But it’s worth posting because, the more I think about it, I kinda like the idea. For my money, it’s perhaps a better idea than previous rumors like Bradley Cooper and Ryan Gosling. So before you dismiss outright, even if this really is total bullshit, check out some thoughts after the jump.

Sure, it’s easy to dismiss the idea of JT rocking the green ring, but when I think about him in Southland Tales and Black Snake Moan I realize there’s real potential there. And it would be a massive PR boost for a film based on a character that the general public doesn’t know or care about. Instead of selling Green Lantern from the ground up WB would just have to convince people that Timberlake can play serious action, which wouldn’t be so difficult to do.

Question is, then, assuming he’s good enough for the job, is would the PR baggage that JT brings to the table be too overwhelming? Would the studio really have more of an uphill fight than I’m assuming? I think that based on his SNL appearances and other more recent work that the mainstream wouldn’t take a lot of convincing.

Right now, Green Lantern is supposedly set to go before cameras in Australia starting in or around September, with Martin Campbell directing. Once scheduled for December of 2010, the film is now slated for June 17, 2011. We don’t know any casting at this point, and only the thinnest story details. Perhaps Comic Con will bring more news.