Lanterns Footage Finally Delivers the Definitive Look at Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern Powers

Remember that first Lanterns teaser back in March? The one that looked less like a superhero show and more like two detectives trudging through something ugly in the mud? That wasn’t an accident — and now DC ’s finally showing the ring-slinging side people were waiting for.

The March tease: moody cops, barely any constructs

Lanterns, the upcoming HBO Max series, had already been likened to True Detective for a while, but the initial footage really leaned into that comparison. It played as a stripped-down, grounded crime drama that dialed down the comic book shine to almost zero. The focus was squarely on the dynamic between Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart — lots of brooding, not much glowing green.

Marketing pivot: trailer tomorrow, with actual superhero stuff

With that August launch creeping up, DC Studios is cranking the spotlight back on. Co-head James Gunn posted on Instagram that a new Lanterns trailer lands tomorrow, May 18, and he tossed up some quick clips to tee it up. The big one: a shot of Hal actively using his ring to shut down an incoming threat. In other words, yes, there will be on-screen Green Lantern powers — not just mood lighting.

• The show: Lanterns on HBO Max, targeting an August release.
• The leads: Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, Aaron Pierre as John Stewart — their partnership is still the spine of the thing.
• The March vibe: gritty, True Detective energy, light on visible superheroics.
• The new tease: short snippets, including Hal deploying the ring, signaling more overt action ahead.
• The next beat: full trailer drops tomorrow, May 18, per James Gunn’s Instagram.

I’ll update once the full trailer hits. For now, consider this your heads-up that Lanterns is about to show some emerald muscle.