DC Studios' approach to Lanterns has been interesting, to say the least. While it's hard to fault the decision to make John Stewart the DCU's main Green Lantern, casting a 59-year-old Hal Jordan (and a 54-year-old Guy Gardner) wasn't something anyone saw coming.
Still, it means those characters have a built-in history in the DCU, and Nexus Point News has today confirmed that Hal's past will be explored in the upcoming HBO Max TV series.
Lanterns has already cast younger and older versions of John's parents, as well as a child version of the character and his brother. That's led to speculation about a flashback episode for the hero, and the same may be in the works for Hal as his parents, Martin and Jessica Jordan, are also being cast.
According to the site, "Martin is described as handsome, confident, charming, but hides a deep sadness. Similar to the comics, he’s a pilot and hero to young Hal, who he has a very close relationship to. The series is also confirmed to depict the death of Martin Jordan and the influence it has on Hal as a child."
"Jessica is described as being emotionless after the death of her husband and she is being cast for a funeral scene. In addition, a child version of Hal is being cast for multiple scenes," the report adds. "He’s described as defiant, spirited, brave, and a rule breaker who follows in his father’s footsteps."
While not confirmed, it seems safe to say that we're getting the origin stories for both Hal and John. Whether that means we'll see a younger Hal serving in the Green Lantern Corps remains to be seen, but we've repeatedly heard that the show will feature cosmic elements and take us to Oa.
Very little has been revealed about where Lanterns will take its leads. Kyle Chandler is rumoured to have only signed up for this series and no feature appearances, meaning he may be killed or become the villainous Parallax, setting the stage for future stories.
DC Studios' Lanterns follows 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.
Chris Mundy (True Detective: Night Country) is serving as showrunner and executive producer and will write Lanterns with Damon Lindelof (Watchmen) and comic book scribe Tom King (Supergirl). The cast includes Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, and Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro.
Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Nicole Ari Parker, Jason Ritter, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Jasmine Cephas Jones round out the supporting cast.
Lanterns is set to premiere on HBO and Max in 2026.