Our first glimpse of footage from DC Studios’ upcoming HBO Max series Lanterns has arrived, revealing Friday Night Lights star Kyle Chandler and Krypton alum Aaron Pierre as members of the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps.
The brief clip appears as part of a larger HBO Max sizzle reel spotlighting upcoming original series. It marks the first on-screen look at Chandler’s Hal Jordan and Pierre’s John Stewart, following an earlier photo tease released in February.
Lanterns has been positioned as a grounded, character-driven “buddy cop” detective drama, drawing comparisons to True Detective and Slow Horses, but set within James Gunn and Peter Safran’s newly launched DC Universe. The series is part of DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, which kicked off theatrically this summer with Superman and continues next year with Supergirl.
The footage shows Jordan and Stewart squabbling inside a car before it dramatically plunges off a cliff. While the moment plays as high-stakes, it’s clear both Green Lanterns survive, setting the tone for a series that blends tension, character friction, and dark humor. Watch below:
First teaser for ‘LANTERNS’.
Releasing in 2026 on HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/DXJuYNtrXH
— DC Film News (@DCFilmNews) December 12, 2025
The official logline describes the show as a “dark, Earth-based mystery” in which veteran Lantern Hal Jordan is paired with younger recruit John Stewart to investigate a murder in the American heartland.
DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran confirmed this week that Lanterns is now targeting a “late summer” 2026 debut on HBO Max, a shift from its previously expected early 2026 release. “It was about when it made sense for it to be released, so [HBO Max] could get the right lead-in and the right promotion,” Safran told CBR. “It’s an important show for everybody, and the show is going to be great. It was about the right timing.”
The series stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, a legendary Green Lantern first introduced in DC Comics in 1959, and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, a newer Lantern who debuted in 1971 and has become a fan-favorite character across comics and animation.
Returning to the DCU is Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, reprising his role from Superman. Fillion has described the character as fearless, deeply overconfident, and unapologetically abrasive, a sharp contrast to the dynamic between Jordan and Stewart.
The cast also includes Kelly Macdonald as Sheriff Kerry, a tough, grounded law enforcement officer whose personal ties to the small-town mystery place her at the center of the investigation and potentially as a romantic interest for Jordan. Lanterns will also introduce longtime DC villain Sinestro, played by Ulrich Thomsen, further anchoring the series within the larger mythology of the Green Lantern Corps.
With its delayed release placing it after Supergirl, which hits theaters June 26, 2026, Lanterns appears positioned as a key bridge between DCU film and television storytelling, emphasizing grounded mystery over cosmic spectacle while still expanding the universe.
The Geek is a working screenwriter, director and screenwriting instructor.
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