The Green Lantern Corps is officially lighting up the DC Universe! DC Studios just dropped a first look at Lanterns, the upcoming HBO series bringing John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) into James Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebooted DCU.
Now, before you get too excited—no, they’re not suited up in their signature glowing green uniforms just yet. But if you squint, you’ll spot a Green Lantern ring on Chandler’s finger as the duo walks down a deserted highway in their civilian clothes. It’s a subtle tease, but enough to let fans know that the emerald energy is on its way.
Described as a gritty, grounded mystery, Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart and seasoned Lantern Hal Jordan as they investigate a murder in the American heartland. Think True Detective, but with power rings and intergalactic stakes.
Chris Mundy (True Detective: Night Country), Damon Lindelof (Watchmen), and comic book writer Tom King (Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow) are behind the series, with Mundy serving as showrunner. James Hawes is directing the first two episodes, and the cast is stacked, featuring Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, and Ulrich Thomsen as the legendary Green Lantern villain Sinestro.
According to Vanity Fair, Lanterns will explore both the heroic and human sides of John and Hal. “Our Lanterns have the rings and all the power they bring, and other characters and aspects of the lore are going to show up or be name-checked,” Mundy teased. “But it’s a series that explores who these guys are when they’re on the job and when they’re out of uniform.”
Unlike past attempts to bring the Green Lantern mythos to life, this series isn’t diving headfirst into cosmic space battles—at least, not right away. Instead, it’s a character-driven story designed to appeal to both longtime DC fans and newcomers alike.
“It’s designed to be accessible for people who don’t know the mythology, but hopefully really satisfying for people that know it backwards and forwards,” Mundy added. “Season one is its own complete story, though we’d love to keep it going.”
If you’re wondering when we’ll see these heroes officially light up their rings, Lanterns is set to hit HBO and Max in 2026. But the Green Lantern Corps won’t stay quiet until then—Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner is set to debut in Superman this summer, marking the first Green Lantern appearance in the DCU.
Plus, DC is expanding the Green Lantern universe with My Adventures With Green Lantern, an animated spin-off of My Adventures With Superman. The upcoming series follows Jessica Cruz, a high school student unexpectedly chosen by a Green Lantern ring, who quickly finds herself caught in an ancient intergalactic war.
With Lanterns shaping up to be one of DC Studios’ most ambitious shows yet, it looks like the Green Lantern Corps is finally getting the justice it deserves.