Blake Lively has bagged the hugely coveted lead female role opposite Ryan Reynolds in The Green Lantern. The actress will play Carol Ferris, the company CEO who hires cocky test-pilot Hal Jordan - the guy who eventually becomes the superhero.

According to Latino Review, the likes of Jennifer Garner, Keri Russell and Diane Kruger where all up for the part, which was thought to be for a woman in her 30s. But Lively apparently did a great audition which impressed director Martin Campbell, while her work in Ben Affleck's sophomore directorial effort, The Town is also garnering good buzz.

The film is to start shooting in the coming months, with Reynolds hard in training to look the part of a superhero. The only major casting left is that of the villain, Sinestro. Expect to see it in the summer of 2011.