The Green Hornet

Britt Reid is the heir to a sprawling Los Angeles newspaper empire who has spent years as a carefree playboy. When his father passes, Britt encounters Kato, a skilled operator who quietly handles things behind the scenes. The two form a wary partnership, discovering they share a knack for turn-the-crank thinking and bold moves. With private resources and a plan to do good outside the courts, they create a masked duo who hit the streets at night. Their aim is a powerful criminal kingpin known as Chudnofsky, whose operation threatens the city’s safety and legitimacy. The tone mixes action with sharp humor as their risky vigilante scheme begins to reshape Britt’s outlook and forces him to rethink his priorities completely.

Directed by Michel Gondry, The Green Hornet reimagines a crime-fighter for an audience. It adapts the Green Hornet mythos created by Trendle and Striker, with a screenplay by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen. 2011 release blends action and comedy.

Box office: The film earned 227,817,248 worldwide against a 120,000,000 budget, delivering a solid return. It performed strongly in North America and abroad, helped by the pairing of Seth Rogen and Jay Chou and Gondry’s set pieces, drawing audience reactions.

The ensemble helped seal The Green Hornet as a glossy carnival of pastiche: Jay Chou brings martial precision to the action scenes while Cameron Diaz lends a savvy, riff-friendly foil as Lenore Case. The film contributed to the late-2000s wave of comic book crossovers blending humor and high energy worldwide.

Critics greeted the tonal mix of buddy comedy and action with mixed results, praising Rogen and Chou's chemistry while noting Gondry's inventive visuals occasionally clash with the brisk pace. The film explores mentorship, celebrity, and the idea that vigilantism can be both thrilling and flawed for many viewers in culture.