Alan Smithee is a cinematic force that demands attention, and the mere sight of this name in a film’s credits often signals that what follows might be a disaster. However, Mr. Smithee isn’t a real individual; rather, it has been a pseudonym adopted for decades by Hollywood filmmakers seeking to separate themselves from a project they directed. While we exist in a realm that lauds both cinematic blunders (remember to support the 2026 Golden Raspberry Awards) as much as triumphs, it is occasionally surprising that the Smithee moniker isn’t more frequently utilized.
Renowned director Martin Campbell, despite committing one notable directorial error, has never embraced the alias. Campbell delighted many James Bond enthusiasts when his second Bond project, the 2006 film “Casino Royale,” premiered. The action-thriller, running over two hours, received widespread critical praise and impressive box office success, leading to four additional Bond films featuring Daniel Craig, culminating with 2021’s “No Time to Die.” This is the same Martin Campbell who helmed the notoriously criticized 2011 film “Green Lantern,” a superhero misfire that genre aficionados might label among the worst films ever made.
Featuring Ryan Reynolds as the lead character, the film narrates the protagonist’s voyage as he becomes the first human chosen for an intergalactic law enforcement team known as the Green Lantern Corps. Not only did “Green Lantern” scarcely break even financially — amassing $220 million on a $200 million budget — but it swiftly received a torrent of negative reviews across various media and aggregate review platforms like Rotten Tomatoes.
Most reviewers deemed Green Lantern a failure, and its director concurred.
In a conversation with Screen Rant, Martin Campbell revealed his thoughts on his Green Lantern endeavor: “I shouldn’t have done it [Green Lantern]. Because with something like Bond, I adore Bond, and I watched every Bond film before I ever directed one. Superhero films are not my preference, and for that reason, I should not have taken it on. But directors always have to shoulder the blame for the failures.” It’s somewhat bittersweet to hear Campbell admit his accountability in his directing role, yet the Hollywood system doesn’t thrive on responsibility; it thrives on production.
And the evidence is arriving soon: DC and HBO are preparing to launch a live-action Green Lantern series (entitled “Lanterns”) in the near future, which will further expand the larger DCU. As for Mr. Campbell, we are happy to note that his career has progressed beyond the Green Lantern downturn. Some of his more recent works include “Memory” (2022), “Dirty Angels” (2024), and “Cleaner” (2025) — the final one featuring Daisy Ridley, Clive Owen, and Taz Skylar.
It’s difficult to predict when a new James Bond installment will be released, but one can only speculate on how remarkable it would be with Campbell at the helm once more. If “Casino Royale” and “GoldenEye” serve as any measure, the outcome would likely be quite impressive.