Aside from a single promo image, we have yet to see any official marketing for the upcoming HBO Max Lanterns series, but some photos of a piece of tie-in merch have now been shared online, and they've ignited some very interesting theories.
Possible spoilers follow.
The spiral in the middle of the Green Lantern logo on this cap has led to speculation that the series will either introduce or lay the groundwork for The Centre, aka Dinosaur Island.
This incredibly powerful sentient island was an eldritch being that debuted in The New Frontier, and would certainly make for a formidable big bad for the DCU in an eventual Justice League movie.
The theory might be a bit flimsy based on the logo alone, but a Reddit user reportedly uploaded a video outlining how he believes the events of the Peacemaker season 2 finale (primarily the discovery of Salvation) and the "terrifying mystery" at the heart of Lanterns will ultimately build towards Earth's superheroes uniting to combat the threat of Dinosaur Island, which was promptly deleted.
What do you make of this theory? Check out the cap below, and let us know in the comments section.
Showrunner and executive producer Chris Mundy (via the WBD press site) recently assured fans that Lanterns won't "sacrifice the magic of the source material."
“From the start, our driving force has been to deliver a layered drama – rooted in nuanced storytelling and rich world building – that balances tension and mystery with honest, authentic emotion. The goal is to create something that feels timeless and grounded without sacrificing the magic of the source material.”
James Hawes (Slow Horses, Penny Dreadful, The Mist, The Alienist, Snowpiercer) will helm the first two episodes. The creative team also includes Emmy Award-winning Lost and Watchmen creator Damon Lindelof, and comic book writer Tom King. Justin Britt-Gibson, Breannah Gibson and Vanessa Baden Kelly are also on board.
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.".
Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner, who made his debut in Gunn's Superman reboot, will have a supporting role in the series.
"This is a story of a couple of Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan," Gunn said of the project when it was first announced. "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."