Look at
Put the kids to bed and get ready! The first teaser for HBO’sLanterns‘ series from DC Studios has arrived, f-bombs and all, and we’re still a little confused.
With Kyle Chandler as the cocky Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as the fearless John Stewart – arguably two of the most recognizable Green lanterns in DC Comics history – this “Lanterns” sneak peek gives off more “Reacher” vibes than anything else. It looks like a Midwestern detective show, and not a colorful escapade featuring members of the gallant Green Lantern Corps.
The article continues below
To say we’re underwhelmed is an understatement, but we’ll reserve final judgment until we’ve seen more. We’ve been wrong before, but for now we’ve only seen this sad, argumentative teaser of boring conflicts and car conversations.
Parents hoping for a family-friendly Green Lantern series from James Gunn and Co. to accompany the many DC animated films starring the noble brotherhood of universal peacekeepers, are going to be extremely disappointed to know that their children will have to be shielded from the profanity and adult themes depicted here.
From this trailer, “Lanterns” looks more like a “Yellowstone” spinoff from Taylor Sheridan than a splashy superhero show that reveals incredible energy constructs, alien planets and battles in outer space.
Don’t get us wrong, the hyper-stylized ultra-violence delivered in shows like “Peacemaker” is great when it suits the source material, but we were hoping for something a little lighter here. Sure, we get a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of a Lantern and Jordan’s iconic ring, but it’s certainly not enough to whet the appetite of the worldwide Green Lantern faithful. The joke about Ch’p the squirrel was pretty funny, but we’ll give it that.
“Lanterns” also features Kelly MacDonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Ulrich Thomsen, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Sherman Augustus, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Jason Ritter, Nathan Fillion, Chris Coy and Paul Ben-Victor. The pilot episode was written by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King, who all serve as co-creators of the series.
‘Lanterns’ is slated for an August release on HBO Max.
