Is A Massive Alien Threat Heading For Earth? New Lanterns Clip Drops A Possible Hint

Is A Massive Alien Threat Heading For Earth? New Lanterns Clip Drops A Possible Hint

Hal Jordan thinks the galaxy is peaceful, but then why are Green Lanterns needed, asks Garret Dillahunt's William Macon in a new clip from the forthcoming HBO superhero drama.

By MarkJulian - Aug 08, 2026 03:08 PM EST
Filed Under: Lanterns

In a new Lanterns clip, Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan says the galaxy is a pretty peaceful place.

However, Garret Dillahunt's William Macon asks him if it's so peaceful, why does it need space cops?

That's actually a pretty valid question.

Dillahunt's character seems to think there's an extraterrestrial threat heading towards the Earth, making an analogy to Native Americans being unaware of European settlers heading to the East Coast back in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Previous footage from Lanterns has revealed that Green Lantern predecessors, the Manhunters, might already be on the planet, hiding in plain sight as the DCU has given them the added ability to shapeshift.  

But is there an even bigger threat approaching?

This is the third new clip released from Lanterns this week, as previous footage has shown Hal Jordan's Harry Potter-focused interrogation strategy and John Stewart's reaction to being called Hal's sidekick.

Lanterns begins streaming on HBO Max next Sunday, August 16th at 9 PM EST.

Lanterns stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart.  Fans will also see Nathan Fillion reprise his role as the abrasive Guy Gardner, connecting Lanterns to his appearance in Superman.

The stellar cast also includes Kelly Macdonald as Sheriff Kerry, a pivotal character in the local mystery, while Ulrich Thomsen will portray the iconic rogue Sinestro, Hal Jordan's former mentor.

Other key cast members include Garret Dillahunt as the conspiracy-minded William Macon, Jason Ritter as his charming son Billy, and Nicole Ari Parker as John Stewart's mother, Bernadette.

Back in July 2025, the 8-episode HBO superhero drama wrapped filming are kicking off principal photography in February. The lengthy post-production time is another strong indicator that the series will eventually visit places other than Rushville, Nebraska.

The official synopsis for the series states that the plot centers on a seemingly isolated murder in the American heartland, specifically Nebraska. This local crime will draw the veteran Green Lantern Corps member Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and his new recruit, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), into deeper, more sinister revelations.

Lanterns is set to premiere on HBOMax on August 16.

Damon Lindelof (Lost, Watchmen) is on board as a co-creator of the HBO drama, putting him right at the center of the show’s creative direction. He’s joined by Chris Mundy (Hell on Wheels, Low Winter Sun) and Tom King.

Mundy serves as the showrunner for the production while King supplied the initial pitch. Lindelof wrote the pilot and is in charge of overall story development.

About The Author:
MarkJulian
Member Since 6/8/2011
CBM writer for a decade+.
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TheJok3r
TheJok3r - 8/8/2026, 3:58 PM
Surely I'm not the only one who thought the first part of the article's title was about the real world...right ? right ?
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 8/8/2026, 5:59 PM
@TheJok3r - nope. And the odd thing is, I wasn't even bothered. So much stuff happens nowadays, aliens might as well exist too
jst5
jst5 - 8/9/2026, 6:19 AM
@bkmeijer1 - We are well past the "might" part now.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 8/9/2026, 9:07 AM
@jst5 - oh yeah, I fully accepted they exist already. No way in a galaxy this massive, we're the only ones
jst5
jst5 - 8/9/2026, 9:41 AM
@bkmeijer1 - Could be other theories on where "they" are coming from.These same reports have been going on since the 40's(actually longer than that) so something is up.

I spent 15 years in the Marines.I never saw anything with my own eyes but I heard some wild stuff from seamen who were out on the sea for a number of months.

Did you know that since the late 60's the Navy has a standing order(it doesn't get talked about in the public much at all) that if any plane goes over most of the parts of Antarctica that a jet will be dispatched to shoot them down on sight.Just think about that for a second.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 8/9/2026, 11:06 AM
@jst5 - that's a wild order.

But I think that thanks to Indiana Jones we know what's there in Antarctica (atleast if you got 100% on The Great Circle)
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 8/8/2026, 4:44 PM
Nice clip , I liked the exchange between Macon & Hal…

I liked how natural & matter of fact them discussing aliens and other planets is which works for a universe that already knows of their existence and has powered people.

Anyway , very excited for this show so can’t wait to see it!!.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 8/8/2026, 4:57 PM

Only 1 thing can make this work for me.

They deserved all the backlash when they first said this show was all about replacement. Hal Jordan can NOT be killed off just to kiss the Hollywood agenda ring. Both GLs are great, but Hal is an icon.

Retool things to keep both of them. otherwise, I hope the lousy DCFU V2 burns down and leaves nothing.

Period.

Nolanite
Nolanite - 8/8/2026, 5:10 PM
@DocSpock -

Have you seen the show already?

How do you know that Hal Jordan is killed off?
If you have seen it let me know how it was.

Don't be making any assumptions based on rumors.

Nolanite out
captainwalker
captainwalker - 8/8/2026, 5:19 PM
@DocSpock - Agreed.
maxx
maxx - 8/8/2026, 6:33 PM
@DocSpock - completely agree. Chandler is perfect in everything we've seen so far, and killing Hal is a dealbreaker.
Batmangina
Batmangina - 8/8/2026, 8:07 PM
@DocSpock - This. Actually, [frick] them and [frick] this show.

[frick] all of the desaturated/muted/ugly as [frick] dogshit that passes for creativity today with a bunch of [frick]ing jagoffs with a LUT pack thinking their goddamn Stanley Kubrick.

The GUNNIVERSE [frick]ing sucks. I thought he'd right the ship - and he did - right into the [frick]ing iceberg.

The quirky Gen X shit that worked in GOTG 1 and has had diminishing returns ever since.

Oh, look! Everyone has a mixtape and an eclectic 80s playlist. I'm so [frick]ing sick of the dogshit.

Rewatching Iron Man this afternoon while doing admin shit from home.

[frick] them for ruining the MCU and [frick] WB for never getting the DCU right in the first place.

REBOOT EVERYTHING and TREAT THE SOURCE MATERIAL with RESPECT.

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DocSpock
DocSpock - 8/8/2026, 8:11 PM
@Batmangina -

I hear ya. Gunn has burned down the DCFU, and the MCU since Infinity War has been mostly sh!t.
Batmangina
Batmangina - 8/8/2026, 8:38 PM
@DocSpock - Agreed. DCU is [frick]ing moribund.

Nothing Marvel can do at this point will undo the damage - full reboot needed.

• WandaVision DECENT
• The Falcon and the Winter Soldier DOGSHIT
• Black Widow DOGSHIT
• Loki season 1 DECENT
• What If...? WHO CARES
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings DECENT
• Eternals DOGSHIT
• Hawkeye DECENT
• Spider-Man: No Way Home HIGH POINT
• Moon Knight DECENT
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness DOGSHIT
• Ms Marvel DOGSHIT
• Thor: Love and Thunder DOGSHIT
• She-Hulk: Attorney At Law DOGSHIT
• Werewolf By Night SURPRISINGLY GOOD
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever DOGSHIT
• The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special DECENT

******

• Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania DOGSHIT
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 DECENT
• Secret Invasion DOGSHIT
• Loki season 2 DECENT
• The Marvels DOGSHIT
• What If...? season 2 WHO CARES PT2
• Echo DOGSHIT
• Deadpool & Wolverine HIGH POINT
• Agatha All Along DOGSHIT
• What If...? season 3 WHO CARES PT3
• Captain America: Brave New World DOGSHIT
• Daredevil: Born Again season 1 DECENT
• Thunderbolts* DECENT
• Ironheart DOGSHIT


That is a [frick]ing abysmal resume after the first three phases. UN [frick]ING FORGIVABLE

Just look at the [frick]ing nosedive in quality.

REBOOT EVERYTHING

PS: MAKE A NEW HELLBOY THAT DOESN'T SUCK
DocSpock
DocSpock - 8/8/2026, 8:53 PM
@Batmangina -

I agree with your assessment on nearly all of that.

Except for Spider-Man and rebooted X-Men, it's hard for me to get excited about anything they are doing in the MCU. These giant Avengers mashups could be great or not, but I'm afraid that after them, they will get back to more junk TV shows and more junk movies like the last 7 years. 2 Avengers movies won't fix everything.
Batmangina
Batmangina - 8/8/2026, 9:18 PM
@DocSpock - My prediction all along was that Spider-Man would kill at the box office (although, it's killing even more than I thought) and that Disney will learn [frick] all and think they've righted the ship and go right back to the Happiest Dogshit Factory on Earth.
Mrnorth1921
Mrnorth1921 - 8/8/2026, 5:06 PM
It looks good. I love how already this universe feels “lived in”. How super people and aliens are part out culture at this point. Love worlds that feels like ours but more extraordinary.

Love how a cowboy/rancher is so nonchalant when talking about aliens.
PS118
PS118 - 8/8/2026, 6:36 PM
@Mrnorth1921 -

Exactly. Perhaps Gunn didn’t explain this in the best way with the initial output of content, but Superman 25 makes it clear that metahumans have been a thing for hundreds of years whereas aliens are newer to earth in particular, at least to the public, but it explains why a kaiju stomping around metropolis is like another Tuesday for the people and they just go about eating their frozen yogurt. The DCU is a mythological place, not our world and that’s vastly more interesting to me than the MCU which is just our world but with super people thrown in.
incredibleTalk
incredibleTalk - 8/8/2026, 5:23 PM
The MCU...

User Comment Image

the DCU right now...

User Comment Image
Mrnorth1921
Mrnorth1921 - 8/8/2026, 5:29 PM
@incredibleTalk - one is two movies in and three shows. The other is 20+ movies and eight shows and several one offs. Unfair comparisons. One is beginning the other is thriving.
Patient2670
Patient2670 - 8/8/2026, 6:50 PM
@Mrnorth1921 - The MCU is now actually just 2 shy of 40 movies.
Mrnorth1921
Mrnorth1921 - 8/8/2026, 7:31 PM
@Patient2670 - see. Haha.
ElBlancoChoco
ElBlancoChoco - 8/8/2026, 8:00 PM
@incredibleTalk - my God that's incredibly insensitive but so goddamn accurate and hysterically funny. No other description of Gunnverse can complete.
Patient2670
Patient2670 - 8/8/2026, 10:04 PM
@Mrnorth1921 - I wasn't disagreeing with you.
Mrnorth1921
Mrnorth1921 - 8/8/2026, 11:57 PM
@Patient2670 - no. I am sorry. Yes, I know. It came out wrong.
Patient2670
Patient2670 - 8/9/2026, 12:48 PM
@Mrnorth1921 - No need. It's all good.
ganicoga
ganicoga - 8/8/2026, 6:02 PM
Well, barbecue dude seems oblivion that the world has Superman to defend it, and the Justice gang, and many more heroes.
MR
MR - 8/8/2026, 9:58 PM
I don't see how this hints to an alien threat.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 8/8/2026, 11:19 PM

Why are all the posts on this article disappearing?
Hobmoblin
Hobmoblin - 8/8/2026, 11:44 PM
"the added ability to shapeshift."

Goes to show how much this site hates DC. They had an entire event comic, Millennium based on the Manhunters shapeshifting and living amongst mankind and even before that there were Manhunters assuming identities, living as humans and even heroes.
It's bullshit, like why not just call it Marvelmovies.com?
Floke
Floke - 8/9/2026, 4:07 AM
"If the streets are so safe, why are there so many cops?" 🙄

Made me remember when a local news paper interviewd a guy in an infamous hood that had a lot of gang related problem. He was super annoyed that the cops kept patrolling the area saying like "Why are they here? Nothing is happening now."

Yeah... maybe them being there is why it is safe?

Odekahn
Odekahn - 8/9/2026, 9:58 AM
Can’t pass up an opportunity to remind everyone of the evil white settlers who colonized America and stole the native’s land. /s

🙄
Rpendo
Rpendo - 8/9/2026, 10:48 AM
@Odekahn - yeah, wow, crazy how the American empire’s original sin keeps getting referenced in artistic endeavors addressing American life and culture…

Mind blown…
NinnesMBC
NinnesMBC - 8/11/2026, 2:15 AM
We have to believe this cowboy-looking person that answers to the name of William Macon is a necrophilic that will bring for Blackest Night?

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