Fans had been wondering why we still hadn't seen so much as a single frame of footage from Lanterns, and over the weekend, we got word that the HBO Max series had been pushed from its original early 2026 release date to later in the summer.
An exact premiere date has yet to be announced, but the first teaser promo did screen for press during HBO Max’s Upfront in São Paulo this evening, and a description of the footage has been shared online.
If you'd rather not know anything about the teaser before seeing it for yourself, beware of spoilers from this point on.
It doesn't sound like this first promo is going to show very much, but there are a couple of interesting reveals. Apparently, Hal Jordan and John Stewart don't get along (no big surprise there), with the older Lantern described as a kind of "substitute teacher" to the rookie hero (presumably meaning he wasn't the GL Corps' first choice).
Jordan is seen taking flight - but there was no sign of any costumes (there are a couple of fake breakdowns claiming otherwise out there). Though the character is not shown, Ch'p is also said to get a mention, possibly setting up the little fella's debut either later in the first season of in a future project.
Via Omellete.com.
“The vibe is of a western, appropriate since the story takes place more in rural areas of the USA, full of brownish tones, something that is repeated in the costumes. The two disagree, with John arguing that he is better than Hal at saving people. We see a brief scene of Hal Jordan flying, but the uniforms of the two were not revealed. Finally, there is a brief mention of a squirrel Green Lantern, probably Ch'p, a comic book character. The teaser shows that Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) have been together for some time, training for months, and that Hal Jordan is a kind of substitute teacher for John."
There are some very convincing AI images doing the rounds, which you can check out below.
Showrunner and executive producer Chris Mundy had the following to say about Lanterns in a recent interview.
"Our show is in a lot of ways about replacement—when should someone step aside and when is it time for the next person to take the reins? That push and pull between those two characters is really important."
: "So much of the power that John has is by not taking the bait, understanding that you lose your power if you're yelling and screaming. That's what we're trying to convey: that he knows he belongs, so he doesn't have to overcompensate. There's a real balance there that’s just innately inside of Aaron. He's big. He's an intimidating presence just physically. But there's a softness to him too. There's a thoughtfulness. You can't teach that."
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."