HBO’s upcoming series, Lanterns, will feature a live-action version of Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, and the show’s creator has revealed why this iteration of the character is portrayed as being older.
Unlike Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern, whose backstory was shown in the 2011 movie, Kyle Chandler’s character has been a superhero for a long time when the new show, Lanterns, starts. The series focuses on him training Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart to take over, and the show’s creator, Chris Mundy, explained that this relationship was the reason they decided to portray Hal as an older hero.
In an interview with Collider, Mundy explained that the team working on Lanterns wanted to portray both Hal and John as surprisingly human and relatable. They achieved this with Hal by making his age represent a “fear of being replaced,” as Mundy put it.
We created the character Hal at a point in life rarely explored in superhero narratives. This allowed us to tap into a common fear – being replaced – in a way that most shows in this genre don’t.
Similar to the comic books, Chandler becomes the very first human to become a Green Lantern. He receives the power ring from Abin Sur, the alien who passed away on Earth. The ring chose Chandler specifically because of his courage and ability to conquer fear – qualities needed to harness its powerful, emerald energy.
It’s not precisely known how long Hal Jordan has been a Green Lantern when the story of Lanterns begins, but he’s been at it long enough for the narrative to explore the dynamic of veteran heroes stepping aside for the next generation. The conflict between Hal and John Stewart isn’t about Hal choosing to retire; it’s about the older generation reluctantly making room for the new.
A new development in the Lanterns series has shown that John was the first Green Lantern ever chosen directly by the Guardians of the Universe, who oversee the Green Lantern Corps. Hal Jordan is portrayed as John’s somewhat unwilling teacher, and often gets frustrated with the younger Lantern because of the unique way John received his power ring.
Mundy felt the significant age difference between Hal and John was a more effective way to highlight Hal’s disapproval of John being selected as his successor. The tension between them will become clear when they travel to Rushville, Nebraska, to investigate a murder that Hal suspects has extraterrestrial origins.
The story unfolds in 2016, with a mysterious second storyline taking place in 2026. Because of this, where Hal is currently in the DC Universe is a secret. Some fans are already wondering if events in the Lanterns comic might be leading Hal down a path towards becoming a villain.
Joining Chandler and Pierre in Lanterns are Nathan Fillion, returning as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Kelly Macdonald as Sheriff Kerry Rushville, Garret Dillahunt as cowboy William Macon, and Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, Hal Jordan’s former mentor and a former Green Lantern himself. The series was created by Mundy, along with Damon Lindelof, known for Lost, and DC Comics writer Tom King.
The new series, Lanterns, will debut on HBO on August 16th and will have eight episodes. Fans can also look forward to seeing John and Guy in the DC movie Man of Tomorrow, scheduled for release on July 9, 2027.
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2026-05-17 05:23