James Gunn Shares First Five Minutes of ‘Lanterns’ Before Sunday Premiere

James Gunn’s DC Universe has been building excitement for a Green Lantern reboot for three years, and the moment is almost here. ‘Lanterns‘ is set to premiere as the fifth installment in Gunn and Peter Safran’s shared universe, following ‘Creature Commandos,’ ‘Superman,’ ‘Peacemaker,’ and ‘Supergirl,’ and it becomes the third HBO series to join this expanding lineup.

The series takes a unique approach to its lead characters, featuring Kyle Chandler as veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, the new recruit under his guidance. Created by Chris Mundy of ‘Ozark,’ along with Damon Lindelof and comic writer Tom King, the show is framed less as a conventional superhero tale and more as a gritty detective drama focused on a murder investigation set in the American heartland.

This tone is evident in the newly released footage. James Gunn has shared the first five minutes of ‘Lanterns’ on social media ahead of its premiere, confirming the episode will air this Sunday, August 16, at 9 p.m. on HBO Max. The clip begins with a title card reading 1996, transitioning into a flashback where a young John Stewart watches a news report about Hal Jordan’s emergence as Earth’s first Green Lantern.

The footage takes an unexpected turn as John’s father, portrayed in the flashback by J. Alphonse Nicholson, comes home in military attire. He questions his son about his fears and then shoots an apple off the top of John’s head to test his courage, establishing a tense family dynamic long before the character’s superhero journey unfolds.

The extended clip then transitions to an adult John Stewart getting into a car with an older Hal Jordan, setting the stage for their central investigative partnership. According to the show’s official premise, the two Lanterns are pulled into a dark, earth-based mystery as they probe a murder in the heartland, a case Jordan suspects has extraterrestrial ties that lead them to darker truths.

This tone has drawn comparisons to acclaimed HBO dramas like ‘True Detective,’ a fitting reference since ‘Lanterns’ is slotted into HBO’s prestigious Sunday night programming block, historically home to hits like ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘The Sopranos.’ The series carries significant weight for the broader DCU, especially following the disappointing reception of ‘Supergirl,’ placing additional pressure on ‘Lanterns’ to help restore confidence in Gunn and Safran’s shared universe moving forward.

The cast surrounding Chandler and Pierre includes Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, Nicole Ari Parker, Jason Ritter, and Nathan Fillion reprising his role as Guy Gardner from ‘Superman.’ James Hawes directed the first two episodes, with Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel, and Alik Sakharov also contributing episodes throughout the eight-part first season.

With the season scheduled to air weekly through an October 4 finale, this early five-minute preview provides fans with a clear understanding of the show’s tone before its full debut, blending intimate character backstory with the slow-burn mystery Lindelof is known for. The decision to start with a formative, unsettling childhood moment for John Stewart rather than diving directly into cosmic Green Lantern lore indicates how much the series relies on grounded character development to support its larger sci-fi narrative.

For a franchise aiming to rebound after a challenging period, ‘Lanterns’ arriving with this level of atmospheric confidence suggests HBO and DC Studios are treating the series as a true tonal reset.

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