Angela Bassett goes to The Green Lantern

Actress Angela Bassett is the newest addition to the cast of the Martin Campbell directed picture The Green Lantern from Warner Bros Pictures and DC Entertainment. The comic book adapted feature is already in the middle of filming with Ryan Reynolds starring as Hal Jordan, a test pilot who is granted a powerful green ring that gives him powers and lands him a spot on an intergalactic squadron that retain peace in the universe.

Bassett is playing Dr. Amanda Waller, a government agent who in comics lore became charged with overseeing the Suicide Squad, a governemtn-run group of captured supervillains performaing tasks in exchange for eventual freedom. It is unclear if that group will pop up in “Lantern” or if that mythology is being set up (Heat Vision Blog).

Also part of the cast is the talents of Blake Lively, Temuera Morrison, Peter Sarsgaard, Tim Robbins and Mark Strong. The Green Lantern has been around in comics for years, originating from the minds of Bill Finger and Martin Nodell in 1940. The Green Lantern is expected to come out in theaters and in 3D on June 17th, 2011.