The first official from DC’s Lanterns has officially surfaced online, offering audiences a look at the Green Lantern-led series coming to HBO Max.
The brief teaser appeared as part of HBO Max’s preview of its 2026 slate, giving a taste of the tone and dynamic DC is aiming for with the new series. While the footage is short, it makes clear that Lanterns is leaning into a grounded, character-driven approach rather than pure cosmic spectacle out of the gate.
The Green Lantern series stars Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, pairing a seasoned Lantern with a younger recruit who is still finding his footing. In one of the teaser’s key moments, Stewart says, “I trained my entire life for this.” Jordan responds with a reality check, telling him, “You’re not ready to get up in front of the class until the ring says you are.”
DC Studios is currently juggling a packed slate of projects as its new shared universe continues to take shape. The Supergirl movie starring Milly Alcock is set to hit theaters in June 2026, with Lanterns expected to premiere sometime that Summer. A standalone Clayface movie is set to follow with a September release. Sequels to both Superman and The Batman are slated to begin shooting in 2026.
What to expect from the Green Lantern HBO series
Lanterns was one of the first projects announced under James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe slate. Gunn described the series as a grounded, Earth-based mystery similar to HBO’s True Detective, with Hal Jordan and John Stewart uncovering a “terrifying mystery” connected to the larger DC Universe.
As one of the key titles in the new DC Universe, Lanterns will mark a key step in reintroducing the Green Lanterns to audiences after the 2011 movie, with Chandler and Pierre leading the charge. The series also stars Kelly Macdonald, Nathan Fillion, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Ulrich Thomsen, Nicole Ari Parker, Jason Ritter, Sherman Augustus and Paul Ben-Victor.
Lanterns does not yet have a release date. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe
