The Ring Is The Thing In The New Lanterns Trailer

Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler are lean and green in Lanterns, HBO Max’s upcoming superhero series.

The main complaint that people had about the first Lanterns teaser was the lack of superheroic action. While it did a bang up job of showcasing Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart, respectively, there wasn’t much in the way of whizz bang. This new look at the upcoming HBO Max series corrects that.

Lanterns Trailer

What’s the plot?

In the DC Universe, the Green Lanterns are basically space cops, haring around the universe with their super-powerful high tech rings and battling intergalactic menaces, as you do. The whole conceit is, to me at least, obviously a riff on E.E. “Doc” Smith’s Lensman stories, but we’ve come a long way from that over the decades-long history of the comics.

But, of course, we seem to be getting an earthbound story in Lanterns, for as the official synopsis tells us:

Two intergalactic cops, new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, are drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.

Who’s in it?

• Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, former test pilot and legendary member of the Green Lantern Corps.
• Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, new Green Lantern recruit that Jordan is training to replace himself.
• Kelly Macdonald as Kerry, a sheriff devoted to her family and close-knit town.
• Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, loveable asshole Green Lantern, reprising his role from Superman.
• Garret Dillahunt as William Macon, a modern cowboy and, let’s face it, probably villain.
• Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe.
• Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, a rogue former Green Lantern and Hal’s old mentor.
• Nicole Ari Parker as Bernadette Stewart, John Stewart’s mother.
• Jason Ritter as Billy Macon: Kerry’s husband and William’s son.
• Sherman Augustus as John Stewart Sr.: John Stewart’s father.
• Paul Ben-Victor as Antaan: An extraterrestrial who is “devoted to exposing the truth and exacting vengeance against those who wronged his people”.

When’s it out?

Lanterns premieres on HBO Max on August 17. We’re getting eight episodes.

What’s the vibe?

I’ve been catching up on some recent Green Lantern comics courtesy of the DC Universe Infinite app, and grooving on the high-falutin’ cosmic daffiness. Now, Lanterns doesn’t seem to have much in the way of that from what we’ve seen so far, but I’m pumped to see what they’re up to with the property.