For all the concern trolling and jaded responses to James Gunn’s DC experiment thus far, he’s the only man with the fortitude to unleash THREE Green Lanterns at us before a single nod to the existence of a Batman.
Ryan Reynolds turned the character into a joke, directors weary of even demonstrating Green Lanterns’ powers for fear of invoking the 2011 2-hour, 3-minute technicolor bore attack.
In Superman, we see Guy Gardner use the ring to deflect tanks and project a large middle finger. Hal Jordan flies and produces a green bubble to prevent a bomb’s explosion. He uses the ring to make a bottle opener. And we even see Jon Stewart, barely knows how to use the ring, but able to generate enough heat to light the cigarette of the woman riding his peen in the front seat of his car. Hell yea.
Lanterns will not be a show afraid of its superhero origins. Guys are gonna be shooting green projectiles from their ring finger. Finally.
The show happens across 3 timelines.
1996, Hal Jordan, presented as sort of the “first superhero,” giving a 60 Minutes interview detailing his origins while a young Jon Stewart watches on TV—his brothers nervous their soon-to-be home military father will catch them staying up late watching that dang television.
Then his dad comes home, punishes Jon by making him stand across the yard with an apple sitting on his head, asks Jon if he’s afraid before shooting the apple off. The two smile, gossiping about Green Lantern. In the Stewart household, rules are rules, but also Green Lantern is sick as hell, and we’re lowkey training to become him(?)
2016, Rushville, Nebraska—we are True Detective-ing it. An aged, cynical Hal Jordan must work with local sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) to solve a mass shooting/potential shape-shifting alien crisis in the small town—the same small town where Hal’s Lantern predecessor crash-landed on Earth, died, and passed the ring along to Hal.
At the end, a cut to 2026, bearded Jon Stewart arrives back in Nebraska, greeted by Sheriff Kenny Kane—his Commissioner Gordon apparently—and the two walk over to Hal Jordan’s recently murdered corpse, his green lantern ring stripped from his finger.
I reckon Kyle Chandler did not sign up for a multi-picture DC deal. Like always, he’s getting his TV check and keeping it moving. RIP Hal, though.
What to expect from this season of Lanterns?
Sinestro
Hal Jordan’s teacher and arch-nemesis appears in the trailer. I imagine we’ll see their adventures in 96, Sinestro’s turn, and most importantly, his weird glowing skin. Need more weird-looking motherfuckers in the genre.
I don’t believe Sinestro is the main villain of the series, but it feels like 2026 Sinestro and Jon Stewart might have a beef.
Jon Stewart lore
If you’re around my age, Jon Stewart is your Green Lantern. The star of the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited cartoons for a decade, star-crossed lovers with Hawk Girl who betrayed him and humanity, sucks, exes, amirite—Jon Stewart is finally getting his live-action due. They’re already crushing the depiction. He’s a militant, by-the-book cop who enjoys the company of women. I’m in.
Damon Lindelof joint
From The Leftovers to Watchmen to Mrs. Davis, Lanterns producer and writer Damon Lindelof is responsible for some of the best television series in my lifetime.
What currently looks and feels like a brooding crime drama mixed with a superhero training/coming-of-age tale has to have more twists and turns beneath the surface. I don’t believe Lindelof is capable of working on a show without that.
Rewatching Watchmen recently, every episode expanded the universe further and further, opening more doors and passageways, introducing brand new ideas and concepts to a stale, overhyped book series, respectfully.
In Lindelof I trust.
I’ll catch y’all next week for episode two. We’ll get more into the meat of the story now that all this preamble’s out of the pen.
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