Both Green Lantern and Thor are filling out their casts as they head toward production, with Blake Lively joining the cast of the former and Stuart Townsend exiting the latter and being replaced by Joshua Dallas.
Lively, who stars in the popular CW series Gossip Girl, will play Carol Ferris in the film adapted from the long-running DC Comics series. In the comics, Ferris runs the aircraft company that employs hotshot test pilot Hal Jordan, who assumes the mantle of Green Lantern. Martin Campbell is set to direct and Ryan Reynolds is signed to play Jordan. The Warner Bros. film is set for a June 17, 2011 release.
Over in Marvel land, Townsend reportedly left Thor due to creative differences with director Kenneth Branagh. Townsend was set to play Fandral, one of the Warriors Three who are allies of the Norse thunder god Thor. Production on the Marvel Studios film, which will be distributed by Paramount, is set to begin this month, with a release set for May 6, 2011.
