Lanterns First Footage Has Screened And It Sounds Wild

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DCU fans get their first glimpse at the world of Lanterns, and it is already shaping up to be more than they expected.

As noted by industry fan account DC Film News on X, the first teaser trailer for the upcoming Lanterns television series was unveiled during HBO Max's Upfront event in São Paulo. The teaser showcased both Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre's Hal Jordan and John Stewart, and reportedly also made mention of the fan-favorite squirrel Green Lantern — Ch'p. The footage was described as presenting a Western-style series, with Hal training John as a sort of "substitute teacher," as well as plenty of fierce rivalry between the two Green Lanterns.

Created by Chris Mundy, Tom King, and Damon Lindelof, the former of whom also serves as showrunner on the series, Lanterns is slated to premiere in 2026 and will begin introducing audiences to the DCU's wider Green Lantern Corps. Lanterns stars Chandler as veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan alongside Pierre's newly recruited John Stewart, the two of whom will spend much of the first season investigating an increasingly disturbing series of mysteries, beginning with a murder in the Midwest.

Lanterns will also star Kelly Macdonald as local sheriff Kerry, as well as Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner in a reprisal of his role from Superman and Peacemaker Season 2. The core cast of Lanterns is rounded out by Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, Garret Dillahunt as modern cowboy William Macon, Poorna Jagannathan as the enigmatic Zoe, Paul Ben-Victor as the vengeful alien Antaan, Jason Ritter as Kerry's husband Bily, and Nicole Ari Parker and Sherman Augustus as Stewart's mother and father, Bernadette and John Sr.

What Can Fans Expect From Lanterns?

Gil Kane Green Lantern Hal Jordan flying towards viewer

Co-creator and showrunner Chris Mundy opened up about when Lanterns is set and what fans can expect from the series, specifically Aaron Pierre's John Stewart. "Our story takes place in a couple of different time periods and so the challenge was for the characters to be consistent at their core," Mundy explained.

"John's sort of a different person in one of them than he is in another. And I do think the physicality and magnetism that Aaron brings to the role brought that all together," Mundy added. "That theater training, that wanting to be in the minutia of the work and the craft, it really added to John's character from all sides. It added dimension to the more physical side of the role, and to the more emotional, creative part of the role."

Lanterns is expected to premiere on HBO and HBO Max sometime in 2026.