The new trailer officially confirms Laura Linney’s casting as the series heads toward its August 16 premiere
HBO has dropped a new teaser for Lanterns, and it arrives with both a revelation and a warning. The trailer officially confirms what had long been rumored, that acclaimed actress Laura Linney has joined the cast of the upcoming DC Studios drama, while closing on a question that may define the entire series: “Are you afraid?”
Starring Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, the series follows two Green Lanterns, a seasoned veteran and a reluctant new recruit, as they are pulled into a murder investigation in the American heartland. The teaser leans heavily into the psychological tension between the two leads. Hal comes across as experienced and almost casual in his command of the power ring, while John is still finding his footing, both in his abilities and in the moral weight of what it means to wear one. The recurring emphasis on fear hints at deeper mythological stakes tied to the Green Lantern emotional spectrum.
The footage also marks the first look at Hal Jordan fully suited up, along with Green Lantern ring constructs and a brief appearance by Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, reprising the role from Superman and Peacemaker Season 2. Ulrich Thomsen appears as Sinestro.
Showrunner Chris Mundy has described the series as “as much of a buddy cop show as a superhero show,” with the generational tension between Hal and John at its heart. “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?” Mundy said. “He knows he belongs, so he doesn’t have to overcompensate.”
The full ensemble also includes Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Jason Ritter, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Nicole Ari Parker, and Sherman Augustus, among others.
The series is co-created and co-written by Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King. James Hawes directs the first two episodes, with Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel, and Alik Sakharov also directing. Executive producers include Mundy, Lindelof, King, James Gunn, Peter Safran, Ron Schmidt, and Hawes. The series is produced by HBO in association with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios.
Lanterns premieres August 16, 2026 on HBO and streams on Max.