{"id":401885,"date":"2026-04-28T18:06:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T18:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/401885\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T18:06:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T18:06:10","slug":"hal-jordan-john-stewart-are-looking-for-answers-in-new-image-from-hbos-lanterns-exclusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/401885\/","title":{"rendered":"Hal Jordan & John Stewart Are Looking For Answers In New Image From HBO\u2019s Lanterns (Exclusive)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hal Jordan and John Stewart are taking a break from their murder investigation in ScreenRant’s exclusive new image from HBO’s upcoming Lanterns<\/a> series.<\/p>\n

The photo, which features Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as two members of the Green Lantern Corps, is part of our official Summer 2026 TV Preview<\/a>. It reveals John (Pierre) and Hal (Chandler) having a few drinks in a rural small-town bar while in the midst of their murder investigation. While parts of Lanterns will be set in Iowa, much of the investigation takes place in Sheridan County, Nebraska, which some of the locals aren’t too happy about.<\/p>\n

\"Lanterns
\n Lanterns HBO Exclusive – ScreenRant Summer TV Preview 2026Credit:\u00a0John Johnson\/HBO<\/p>\n

The exclusive image may suggest that John and Hal are taking a break from their investigation, but it’s likely that they are getting closer to locals, looking for answers. Based on their expressions in the photo, they may have come to the right place. The image also notably highlights Hal Jordan’s power ring. <\/p>\n

Since John is a new recruit, he’s still forced to wait before wearing the ring. The Lanterns trailer<\/a> features John questioning Hal about how much longer until he gets to wear it, especially since he has been training under Hal for over two months. Hal then uses John’s focus on the “jewelry” as a teaching moment, leaving the ring on the dashboard of the car as he jumps out of the driver’s seat, as the vehicle heads over a cliff with John still inside.<\/p>\n

Lanterns might be a superhero show set within the DCU, but it will also serve as a gritty detective series. Seeing as the core characters are intergalactic peacekeepers, it won’t be your traditional mystery series, embracing a different kind of buddy cop dynamic as Hal trains his eventual replacement. Of course, being in the DCU means there will be plenty of surprises in store, connecting to the larger shared universe.<\/p>\n

Nathan Fillion, who plays Guy Gardner in the DCU, will appear in Lanterns. The show will also feature Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, a former member of the Green Lantern Corps<\/a> who was once Hal’s mentor. In DC Comics lore, Sinestro serves as Hal’s arch nemesis, so his presence in the HBO series will likely complicate Hal and John’s investigation.<\/p>\n

Sector 2814 \u00b7 Ring Active
\n How Well Do You Know Lanterns?
\n \u201cIn brightest day, in blackest night…\u201d<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc8dThe RingPowered by will<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd26The Corps3,600 sectors<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf0cOaThe Guardians<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc6eEarth BeatSector 2814<\/p>\n

\u26a0Yellow
PerilThe fear entity<\/p>\n

ACTIVATE RING \u2192<\/p>\n

01<\/p>\n

Lanterns is one of the tentpole TV series launching James Gunn and Peter Safran\u2019s rebooted DC Universe. On which streaming platform does it air?<\/p>\n

\n ANetflix
\n BHBO Max
\n CDisney+
\n DApple TV+\n <\/p>\n

\u2713 Correct! HBO Max \u2014 Warner Bros. Discovery\u2019s flagship streamer and the natural home for DCU prestige TV alongside Peacemaker and The Penguin. Lanterns is positioned as the DCU\u2019s high-end serialised drama counterpart to Gunn\u2019s theatrical Superman relaunch, sharing canon with the films. Disney+ runs Marvel; Netflix and Apple are rival streamers.<\/p>\n

\u2717 Ring malfunction! The answer is HBO Max. Netflix has had various superhero shows but not DCU. Disney+ is Marvel\u2019s home. Apple TV+ doesn\u2019t house DC. HBO Max is Warner Bros. Discovery\u2019s streamer and the TV home of the Gunn\/Safran DCU \u2014 Lanterns joins Peacemaker and upcoming DCU series there.<\/p>\n

NEXT \u2192<\/p>\n

02<\/p>\n

Unlike most Green Lantern adaptations, Lanterns pairs two Earth-based ring-bearers in a buddy-cop framework \u2014 a weathered veteran and a newer recruit partnered together on Sector 2814 duty. Which two Lanterns lead the show?<\/p>\n

\n AHal Jordan & Guy Gardner
\n BHal Jordan & John Stewart
\n CJohn Stewart & Kyle Rayner
\n DHal Jordan & Kyle Rayner\n <\/p>\n

\u2713 Correct! Hal Jordan and John Stewart \u2014 two of the most beloved Earth-assigned Lanterns \u2014 are paired as the show\u2019s central duo. Hal is the hot-shot test-pilot veteran, John the disciplined ex-Marine architect with a sharper sense of justice. The pairing draws heavily from the Geoff Johns comics era and lets the show explore two very different philosophies of what a Green Lantern should be.<\/p>\n

\u2717 Ring malfunction! The answer is Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Guy Gardner (played by Nathan Fillion) is a separate DCU character who appears in the 2025 Superman film. Kyle Rayner is a beloved Lantern but not part of this show. The Lanterns duo is the Hal\/John pairing \u2014 a pointedly contrasting veteran and recruit on Sector 2814 duty together.<\/p>\n

NEXT \u2192<\/p>\n

03<\/p>\n

The role of Hal Jordan \u2014 the weathered, test-pilot-turned-space-cop original Earth Lantern \u2014 went to a veteran actor best known as Coach Eric Taylor on Friday Night Lights and for leading Bloodline. Who plays Hal?<\/p>\n

\n ARyan Reynolds (reprising)
\n BKyle Chandler
\n CNathan Fillion
\n DChris Pine\n <\/p>\n

\u2713 Correct! Kyle Chandler \u2014 Emmy winner for Friday Night Lights, star of Bloodline, and part of the Monsterverse (Godzilla: King of the Monsters) \u2014 plays an older, weathered Hal Jordan. James Gunn wanted a seasoned, grounded presence rather than a rookie. Ryan Reynolds played Hal in 2011\u2019s widely-mocked Green Lantern film (a different continuity); Nathan Fillion plays Guy Gardner in the 2025 Superman film.<\/p>\n

\u2717 Ring malfunction! The answer is Kyle Chandler. Ryan Reynolds\u2019 Hal was the 2011 film (a separate, mostly-disowned continuity). Nathan Fillion plays Guy Gardner in the 2025 Superman film \u2014 not Hal. Chris Pine isn\u2019t in the DCU. Chandler\u2019s weathered, Friday-Night-Lights gravitas is exactly the mature Hal energy Gunn wanted for the show.<\/p>\n

NEXT \u2192<\/p>\n

04<\/p>\n

John Stewart \u2014 ex-Marine sniper, architect, and one of DC\u2019s most iconic Black heroes \u2014 is played by a British actor who broke out in Barry Jenkins\u2019 The Underground Railroad and Jeremy Saulnier\u2019s Rebel Ridge. Who is he?<\/p>\n

\n AAaron Pierre
\n BWinston Duke
\n CSterling K. Brown
\n DJohn Boyega\n <\/p>\n

\u2713 Correct! Aaron Pierre \u2014 the British actor who earned raves as Caesar in The Underground Railroad (2021) and carried Netflix\u2019s Rebel Ridge (2024) with a performance frequently compared to early Denzel Washington. Gunn called his casting \u201ca no-brainer.\u201d Winston Duke, Sterling K. Brown and John Boyega are all great actors but not in the role.<\/p>\n

\u2717 Ring malfunction! The answer is Aaron Pierre. Winston Duke is M\u2019Baku in the Marvel universe. Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us, American Fiction) is Marvel-adjacent too. John Boyega famously played Finn in Star Wars. Pierre\u2019s Rebel Ridge performance \u2014 playing a disciplined ex-Marine \u2014 is essentially his audition for John Stewart, and Gunn\u2019s team cast him off it.<\/p>\n

NEXT \u2192<\/p>\n

05<\/p>\n

James Gunn has repeatedly pitched Lanterns as a grounded, small-town murder-mystery thriller \u2014 where the space-cop rings are secondary to a detective case on Earth. Which acclaimed HBO series is his go-to tonal comparison?<\/p>\n

\n ATrue Detective
\n BThe Wire
\n CWestworld
\n DWatchmen\n <\/p>\n

\u2713 Correct! Gunn has explicitly called Lanterns his \u201cTrue Detective in the DCU\u201d \u2014 a slow-burn, atmospheric, character-driven case with superhero elements layered over a grounded murder mystery. Showrunner Chris Mundy actually did True Detective: Night Country duties, bringing that DNA directly. Watchmen (Damon Lindelof) was also cited, and Lindelof has consulting writer credits, but True Detective is the primary comp.<\/p>\n

\u2717 Ring malfunction! The answer is True Detective. Gunn has named it as the explicit tonal blueprint \u2014 a slow-burn, character-driven murder mystery with superhero elements layered over it. Chris Mundy, the show\u2019s runner, worked on True Detective: Night Country, bringing the DNA directly. Watchmen was a secondary comp (Damon Lindelof consults), but True Detective is the primary pitch.<\/p>\n

NEXT \u2192<\/p>\n

06<\/p>\n

When James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as DC Studios co-CEOs in 2022, they announced a rebooted slate of interconnected films and TV shows \u2014 with Lanterns among the launch titles. What is this first DCU phase officially called?<\/p>\n

\n AChapter 1: Gods and Monsters
\n BCrisis on Infinite Earths
\n CThe Flashpoint Initiative
\n DDark Knights Rising\n <\/p>\n

\u2713 Correct! Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters \u2014 announced in January 2023 as the Gunn\/Safran DCU\u2019s opening slate. It includes Superman (2025), The Authority, Supergirl, The Brave and the Bold, Paradise Lost, Waller, Creature Commandos, and of course Lanterns. Crisis on Infinite Earths is a comics event; Flashpoint and Dark Knights are other DC storylines, not the chapter branding.<\/p>\n

\u2717 Ring malfunction! The answer is Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters. Crisis on Infinite Earths is a famous DC comics crossover event (and Arrowverse crossover) but not a DCU chapter label. Flashpoint was referenced in The Flash (2023) from the now-defunct DCEU. The Gunn\/Safran era officially named its launch phase Gods and Monsters \u2014 Superman 2025, Lanterns, and related titles.<\/p>\n

NEXT \u2192<\/p>\n

07<\/p>\n

Green Lanterns serve the Guardians of the Universe, an ancient race who created the Corps\u2019 3,600-sector peacekeeping force and charge the Lantern rings from a central Power Battery on their home planet. What is the Guardians\u2019 homeworld called?<\/p>\n

\n AKrypton
\n BOa
\n CThemyscira
\n DApokolips\n <\/p>\n

\u2713 Correct! Oa \u2014 the small blue-skinned Guardians\u2019 home at the centre of the universe. It houses the Central Power Battery from which all Green Lantern rings draw their energy, and serves as the Corps\u2019 academy and operational base. Krypton is Superman\u2019s destroyed homeworld; Themyscira is Wonder Woman\u2019s hidden Amazon island; Apokolips is Darkseid\u2019s hellscape.<\/p>\n

\u2717 Ring malfunction! The answer is Oa. Krypton is Superman\u2019s homeworld. Themyscira is Paradise Island where Wonder Woman was raised. Apokolips is Darkseid\u2019s grim world in the Fourth World mythos. Oa is specifically the Guardians of the Universe\u2019s planet \u2014 home to the Central Power Battery that fuels every Green Lantern ring in all 3,600 sectors.<\/p>\n

NEXT \u2192<\/p>\n

08<\/p>\n

Every Green Lantern recites the same oath when charging their ring \u2014 a four-line rhyming incantation that\u2019s become one of the most famous pieces of verse in comic-book history. How does it famously begin?<\/p>\n

\n A\u201cIn the darkest hour, a light shall rise…\u201d
\n B\u201cIn brightest day, in blackest night…\u201d
\n C\u201cBy the power of Oa, I serve…\u201d
\n D\u201cRing of willpower, heed my call…\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\u2713 Correct! \u201cIn brightest day, in blackest night \/ No evil shall escape my sight \/ Let those who worship evil\u2019s might \/ Beware my power \u2014 Green Lantern\u2019s light!\u201d The oath dates back to 1940\u2019s All-American Comics #16, was refined through the Silver Age, and is considered one of DC\u2019s most sacred bits of verse. Every canonical adaptation includes some version of it.<\/p>\n

\u2717 Ring malfunction! The answer is \u201cIn brightest day, in blackest night…\u201d The full oath: \u201cNo evil shall escape my sight \/ Let those who worship evil\u2019s might \/ Beware my power \u2014 Green Lantern\u2019s light!\u201d It\u2019s been canon since 1940 and remains one of comics\u2019 most instantly recognisable pieces of verse \u2014 recited in every major Green Lantern adaptation.<\/p>\n

REVEAL MY SCORE \u2192<\/p>\n

\n Ring Depowered \u00b7 Report to Oa
\n Your Corps Rank\n <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc8d<\/p>\n

\n \/ 8\n <\/p>\n

Honor Guard veteran \u2014 or still in Corps training?<\/p>\n

\u2934 RECHARGE RING<\/p>\n

It will also be interesting to see how Hal’s past with Sinestro impacts his relationship with John. Based on their interactions, it’s obvious that Hal isn’t going to take it easy on the young recruit. Nearing retirement, Hal is known as a legend, and he certainly knows what it means to wear the Lantern ring, something that John still needs to learn.<\/p>\n

Right now, Lanterns doesn’t have an exact release date, but it’s coming to HBO this August. This means the show will debut following the release of Supergirl, which is slated to release June 26. Following Lanterns’ eight-episode first season, the next entry in the DCU will be Clayface in October.<\/p>\n

\"lanterns-2026-tv-show-logo-on-black-poster.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Release Date<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tAugust, 2026<\/p>\n

Network<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHBO<\/p>\n

Showrunner<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChris Mundy<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Aaron Pierre<\/p>\n

\n John Stewart\n <\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Kelly Macdonald<\/p>\n

\n Sheriff Kerry\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hal Jordan and John Stewart are taking a break from their murder investigation in ScreenRant’s exclusive new image…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":401886,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[156,111,139,69,437],"class_list":["post-401885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-entertainment","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=401885"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401885\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/401886"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=401885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=401885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=401885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}