With Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre set to play Hal Jordan and John Stewart, respectively, it seems like DC is embracing the traditional Lantern mythology for its new series. The two are veterans of the galaxy’s galactic police force and have a long-standing rivalry.
Ulrich Thompsen has also been cast as Sinestro, a major antagonist for the Green Lantern Corps. That’s an important step forward for the series.
Expected Release Date
After a few false starts — including Ryan Reynolds’ underwhelming attempt to bring the hero to life in the first Green Lantern movie — DC Comics is finally getting the live-action series it needs for this iconic character. Set to hit HBO Max in early 2026, Lanterns follows a couple of members of the Green Lantern Corps (basically intergalactic cops) named Hal Jordan and John Stewart as they investigate an Earth-based mystery.
The series will star Friday Night Lights’ Kyle Chandler and Rebel Ridge’s Aaron Pierre as the two Lanterns, with Nathan Fillion returning as fellow hero Guy Gardner. It’s a prestige pulp detective show influenced by shows like True Detective and Slow Horses, with James Hawes (Slow Horses) directing the first two episodes.
Lanterns will be the third TV series for the DC Universe and is expected to drop alongside Doomsday Clock Chapter One: Gods and Monsters in early 2026. The project is slated to run for eight episodes. If you’re interested in seeing it but aren’t sure if you have HBO Max, there’s always the option of using a free VPN for Netflix.
Storyline Direction
The Green Lantern characters are members of the intergalactic police force that use rings to fight evil and protect the universe. They usually use a combination of imagination, fearlessness and the electromagnetic spectrum of their emotional willpower to power their rings. The most famous are Hal Jordan and John Stewart.
Gunn’s official synopsis of the series says it will follow “new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.” That sounds pretty cool and definitely has some True Detective vibes.
In the comics, it was typical for Hal to train a new Green Lantern and then eventually pass the torch. It looks like that will be the case with the HBO series as well.
One of the actors cast for this project is Boardwalk Empire’s Kelly Macdonald, who will play Sheriff Kerry, a no-nonsense character deeply devoted to her family and close-knit town. She’s also a resilient woman with a complex past that’s hardened her resolve.
Casting Rumors
As the show begins to come together, casting breakdowns have begun to leak online. They reveal that the series will follow a pair of intergalactic cops, with Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre lined up to play Hal Jordan and John Stewart, respectively.
The show’s creators are aiming to bring some prestige television flavor to the DC Universe, with the showrunner being Ozark star Chris Mundy and writing from Watchmen scribe Damon Lindelof. Tom King is also credited as a writer for the series, which will air on HBO and HBO Max.
So far, rumors have only centered on the casting of the primary actors in the series, with no details about any supporting cast members. However, one scooper claims that a shortlist of five candidates has emerged for the role of John Stewart, including actors like Damson Idris, Sope Dirisu, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Aaron Pierre (Mufasa in Disney’s upcoming Lion King spinoff).
As for the Hal Jordan role, Kyle Chandler has already been officially cast in the role, with speculation that he may not survive the series. Additionally, Deadline has reported that Garret Dillahunt will be playing William Macon, a self-righteous modern cowboy who is prone to conspiracies and conceals his ruthless ambition behind a charming persona.
Possible Villains
Many current and former Green Lanterns have been teased for Lanterns, but there is an opportunity to bring in other characters from the wider universe of ring-wielding heroes and villains. Considering that the Lanterns are an intergalactic police force, it would be fitting for the show to feature some of the other members who have heeded the call of power rings.
A rogue member of the Green Lantern Corps, Sinestro is the perfect villain to pit against Hal Jordan. The character has plenty of characterization potential, especially with how he is known to love power.
Another villain who could easily make their way into the series is Black Hand, who is aligned with the Black Lantern Corps and can siphon lifeforce from those he kills. The villain has a strong connection to the Guardians, so having him appear in Lanterns could prove to be an effective way to get audiences more invested in the central storyline.
The show is also likely to include Carol Ferris, aka Star Sapphire. The character swore vengeance on the Green Lantern Corps after an attack on her homeworld of Xanshi and hunted them until she was recruited by John Stewart to join the Yellow Lanterns. Her inclusion could help establish several aspects of the Green Lantern world, including the idea that positive emotions can be used to create rings.
Connections to Other DCU Projects
After the 2011 Green Lantern film received poor reviews and flopped at the box office, it’s no wonder that fans are nervous to see another adaptation of the team. Thankfully, the DC Universe has a few other upcoming projects that will hopefully give fans more hope for future Lantern projects.
With a Green Lantern series in the works for HBO and Superman Legacy set to explore the character’s origin, there are plenty of opportunities for the team to expand. James Gunn has also teased that he wants to include more members of the Corps in his work. Whether that’s through Lanterns or another project, this is a crucial way for the DC Universe to establish the team and make it more accessible to audiences.
Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner is scheduled to appear in Superman Legacy and has already been spotted on the set alongside David Corenswet’s Superman. According to @clevelanddotcom, the heroes will be teaming up for a fight against Lordtech villains. Considering that Fillion’s character is an artist, it would be fun to see how his powers translate into the constructs he makes with his power ring.