Lanterns: First Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre Photo Worries Some Fans

Summary

TheLanternsDCU series released the first official photo ofGreen Lanternactors Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler. The image was generally well-received, but some fans believe the photo confirmed their concerns regarding the HBO show’s tone.

Lanternswas one of the first DCU projects announced when DC Studios boss James Gunn unveiled his initial slate for the franchise. The series followsGreen Lanterncharacters Hal Jordan and John Stewart as they investigate an Earth-bound mystery that ties into the larger DCU storyline. Gunn recently described Lanterns as “grounded and gritty” and previously compared it to HBO’sTrue Detectiveanthology crime drama series. While some fans may have preferred a cosmic space adventure considering the Green Lanterns Corps is an intergalactic law enforcement agency, the casting of Pierre as John Stewart andChandler as Hal Jordanboosted fans' confidence in the series.

First Look at Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler in the Green Lantern DCU Series

Lanternsis now in production andGunn celebrated the occasion by releasing the first official photo of Pierre and Chandler in their respective roles.Gunn expressed his excitement aboutLanternsmoving into production, describing the DCU series as “something really special.” The image features Pierre’s John Stewart and Chandler’s Hal Jordan wearing civilian clothing and walking down a deserted highway. Eagle-eyed were quick to notice that Chandler’s Hal Jordan was sporting a green ring on one of his fingers, though this was the only hint at their Green Lantern costumes.

Will The DCU’s Lanterns Series Be Too ‘Grounded and Gritty?"

Reactions to the first officialLanternsphoto were generally positive. Fans were still convinced that Pierre and Chandler were the perfect casting decisions for John Stewart and Hal Jordan, with the term “aura” frequently being used on the DCULeaks subreddit. The consensus was that Pierre and Chandler seemingly embody their respective roles in the image. However, a few fans expressed that the photo confirmed their concerns about the Lanterns DCU series. Reddit userArcher_Without_Fearnoted that they expect Pierre and Chandler will “barely” be in costume and that DC Studios is merely ‘slapping’ the Green Lantern brand on another HBO detective show. Another Reddit user,Thangoman, suggested that perhaps Warner Bros. CEO and president David Zaslav wasn’t confident in the Green Lantern series, so Gunn opted to ground the show to sell it as “prestige” television.

Others argued that perhaps the Green Lantern costumes will combine practical outfits with CGI. If so, DC Studios may not be ready to unveil the DCU Green Lantern outfits and might be trying to avoid the mixed reactions that thefirst image of David Corenswet’s full Superman suitreceived. Of course, this is purely speculative, and it may be too soon to assume theLanternsseries will rarely use the Green Lantern costumes based on a single image.

Warner Bros. may have reason to be concerned about aGreen Lanternseries.Ryan Reynolds’Green Lanternmovie received overwhelmingly negative reviewsfrom audiences and critics, so Warner Bros. may be hesitant to explore the cosmic side of the Green Lantern brand. However, Gunn has stated that theLanternsmystery ties into the overall DCU storyline, and the supervillain Sinestro is involved in the series. So, ifLanternsis “grounded,” it may not remain so.

Lanternsis expected to premiere on HBO in 2026.

Lanterns

In this series set within the DC Universe, Lanterns follows intergalactic law enforcement officers as they wield power rings to maintain order across different planets. The show explores their personal and professional challenges while addressing broader themes of justice and responsibility in the cosmos.