DC's First Green Lantern TV Show Trailer Reveals A Surprising Hal Jordan Twist

The first trailer for DC‘s new Lanterns series has been shared with a select group, and the footage reveals a surprising Hal Jordan twist. James Gunn’s DC Universe has already debuted a Green Lantern, with Nathan Fillion playing Guy Gardner in Superman. While the actor will return in the franchise’s upcoming Green Lantern series, Guy will not be its star.

Instead, the cast of DC’s Lanterns is led by Aaron Pierre, who plays John Stewart, and Kyle Chandler, who gives life to Hal Jordan. The show has been described as having a similar tone to True Detective, with the legendary Green Lantern Hal Jordan investigating a mystery on Earth alongside new recruit John Stewart. More details about HBO’s Lanterns series have been revealed.

According to Omelete, the first trailer for DC’s Lanterns was screened at an HBO Max Upfront event in São Paulo, Brazil, on Tuesday, November 25. While the trailer was not released online, Omelete has shared what happens in the footage. Hal and John have been training together for months, but Jordan is his substitute teacher, though who he is filling in for was not revealed.

The first Green Lantern TV show trailer does not reveal John and Hal’s superhero suits. Instead, the footage focuses on the western tone of the DC series, which includes rural areas of the United States and a brownish color palette. That said, Hal Jordan can be briefly seen flying in the Lanterns teaser. A squirrel Green Lantern, probably Ch’p, is mentioned.

The dynamic between the show’s main Green Lanterns is also spotlighted. John Stewart and Hal Jordan argue, with the younger hero telling the veteran that he is better at saving people. Before the footage was shown, it was thought that Jordan would be training Stewart, and while that is the case, the fact that he is filling in for another Green Lantern is surprising.

Lanterns has no set release date. However, after being believed to debut on HBO in early 2026, that has since shifted. DC’s new Green Lantern series will premiere in late summer of 2026, according to HBO boss Casey Bloys at an event in New York City to promote HBO’s slate of releases. With the show’s release pushed back, so could be the trailer.

On October 21, James Gunn addressed the Lanterns trailer’s release. According to DC Studios’ creative chief, he has no idea when the trailer for the Green Lantern show will be shared with audiences, as “with HBO, the marketing is so different than film.” Thankfully, the description of the first Lanterns trailer should keep fans excited until the footage is shared publicly.