LANTERNS Teaser Revealed at HBO Max Event; the Description Teases a Western-Style DC Epic

HBO Max recently offered a first real look its upcoming DC series Lanterns during the streamer’s Upfront event in São Paulo, giving press a first look at a teaser fans have been waiting ages to hear about.

While the public still has to wait a bit longer to see it for themselves, a detailed description of the footage has surfaced and it paints a strong picture of the tone and direction of this highly anticipated Green Lantern series.

There’s a lot of excitement for this series and about when any official footage might debut. The teaser was short and selective, but it did offer some intriguing story hints and character dynamics.

The footage breakdown shared through Omellete highlights a grounded, rural aesthetic. According to the outlet:

“The vibe is of a western, appropriate since the story takes place more in rural areas of the USA, full of brownish tones, something that is repeated in the costumes. The two disagree, with John arguing that he is better than Hal at saving people.

“We see a brief scene of Hal Jordan flying, but the uniforms of the two were not revealed. Finally, there is a brief mention of a squirrel Green Lantern, probably Ch'p, a comic book character.

“The teaser shows that Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) have been together for some time, training for months, and that Hal Jordan is a kind of substitute teacher for John."

So it seems the show is leaning into the friction between Hal Jordan and John Stewart, positioning Jordan as a reluctant mentor and Stewart as a driven rookie who believes he can outperform his veteran partner.

Jordan does get a flight moment in the teaser, but no suits are shown, which aligns with recent debunkings of fake “costume leaks.” Ch’p also gets name dropped, so the little squirrel Lantern may very well make an appearance down the line.

Showrunner and executive producer Chris Mundy shed more light on the thematic backbone of Lanterns, teasing the emotional push and pull between the two heroes.

"Our show is in a lot of ways about replacement—when should someone step aside and when is it time for the next person to take the reins? That push and pull between those two characters is really important."

He continued by speaking about John Stewart’s presence and the importance of his demeanor.

"So much of the power that John has is by not taking the bait, understanding that you lose your power if you're yelling and screaming. That's what we're trying to convey: that he knows he belongs, so he doesn't have to overcompensate.

“There's a real balance there that’s just innately inside of Aaron. He's big. He's an intimidating presence just physically. But there's a softness to him too. There's a thoughtfulness. You can't teach that."

The series is aiming for something more character driven, with emotional conflict simmering underneath the cosmic mythology.

The first two episodes are directed by James Hawes, known for standout shows like Slow Horses, Penny Dreadful, and Snowpiercer. The writing and producing team is stacked with talent, including Damon Lindelof, Tom King, Justin Britt-Gibson, Breannah Gibson, and Vanessa Baden Kelly.

The series follows John Stewart and Hal Jordan as they investigate a mysterious murder in the American heartland. This is a grounded, earth-based story centered on two intergalactic cops who find themselves embroiled in something far more sinister and far-reaching.

Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, fresh off his appearance in James Gunn’s Superman, will have a supporting role as well.

As Gunn described it: "This is a story of a couple of Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan. We have a few other Lanterns peppered in there but this is really a terrestrial based TV show which is almost like True Detective with a couple of Green Lanterns who are space cops watching over Precinct Earth in it they discover a terrifying mystery that ties into our largest story of the DCU."

I can’t wait to see a trailer for this series for myself! It sounds like this could be a great show!