One episode down, it's safe to say that HBO Max's Lanterns is pulling out all of the stops to craft a gargantuan mystery that could have far-reaching repercussions across the DCU.
Is the show really heading in this 'direction' with Hal Jordan, or is this a monumental fake-out?
There are 7 more episodes to unravel the mystery and find out if Jordan is truly gone or if he's simply dropping off the radar to find out what's really going on.
Speaking to Discussing Film, the Lanterns creative team knew they were going to run afoul of comic book fans with how the first episode played out.
The site spoke to Damon Lindelof and Tom King, who admitted, "We want audiences to feel sad, and we want them to feel mad, and we want them to feel confused. Because those are the feelings that people have when someone they care about dies."
Lindelof went on to say, "The fans are going to hate us. There were all these reasons not to do it, but the story kept pushing us to do it anyway, especially since we really wanted to serve the emotional stakes of their relationship."
However, he went on to explain, "There’s going to be some short-term anger and dissatisfaction, understandably. People have waited over a decade for Hal Jordan to return to their screens, and then, suddenly, he’s a frozen corpse. But what matters most is where they’re sitting at the end of the eighth episode and whether they felt it was a necessary turn for the story to move forward."
Following the conclusion of episode 1, HBO Max has also released a "weeks ahead" promo, which shows that with the show taking place across different time periods, Hal will still have a big presence in the show. However, the footage also reveals that John Stewart is definitely the focal point.
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.
The official synopsis for the series states that the plot centers on a seemingly isolated murder in the American heartland, specifically in Rushville, 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.
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.