From the visionary minds of James Gunn and Peter Safran comes one of the DCU's most eagerly awaited projects: Lanterns. This upcoming television series, a cornerstone of Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, is currently in production and promises to redefine the Green Lantern mythos.
The series boasts a powerful cast, with Kyle Chandler stepping into the emerald boots of Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre embodying the unwavering John Stewart. Adding a spark of familiar energy, Nathan Fillion is confirmed to appear as the irrepressible Guy Gardner.
The stellar supporting cast includes Ulrich Thomsen as the menacing Sinestro, Kelly Macdonald as the enigmatic Sherrif Kerry, Garret Dillahunt as William Macon, Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe, Nicole Ari Parker bringing to life John Stewart's mother, Bernadette, Jason Ritter as Billy Macon, and Sherman Augustus portraying John Stewart's father, John Sr.
The first two crucial episodes will be helmed by the seasoned director James Hawes, whose directorial prowess has shaped such notable television as Doctor Who, Merlin, the thought-provoking Black Mirror, the otherworldly Raised by Wolves, and the gripping Slow Horses, setting a high bar for the series' launch.
Speaking to THR at the premiere of his new film The Amateur, Hawes also took time out to briefly touch on Lanterns, sharing that the True Detective comparison is apt but that it doesn't encompass the entirety of the show.
“It looks and feels rooted. You meet two guys [Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart], but there is wit and comedy to it that you would not expect in True Detective. It is, in many ways, a buddy cop structure with travel in the story time, to and fro, that is really sophisticated,” Hawes shares.
“So I think [the True Detective comparison] is valid. People will still go, ‘What were you talking about?’ to some extent, but I would also bring in No Country for Old Men, Fargo and things that have that Americana heart to them.”
The series description for Lanterns has previously been described as, "following 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."
Lanterns was part of the original DCU: Gods and Monsters Chapter One rollout video released by DC Studios and James Gunn.
During that promo video, Gunn described the series as, "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."
Lanterns is expected to arrive on HBO in early 2026.