As James Gunn and Peter Safran broaden the DCU, their fresh, realistic portrayal of “Green Lantern” may catch audiences off guard, especially those who remember the poorly received 2011 film featuring Ryan Reynolds.
For co-creators Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, “Lanterns” is about revisiting the character’s original form when he was “an entirely different kind of superhero.”
“We’re talking about almost a century’s worth of storytelling, and now we get to carry that baton,” Lindelof shared with Variety. “But then at the same time, the audience is hungry for something original and relevant, and they want storytellers to take risks. Those risks can’t feel like they’re gimmicks; they have to feel like they have real emotional stakes.”
The series follows Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, who mentors John Stewart, portrayed by Aaron Pierre, as his backup. As Green Lantern, Hal wields a ring that creates material objects, functioning as an intergalactic space officer. The plot thickens as a string of mysterious deaths leads Hal and John to a small town in Nebraska.
King contributes his extensive experience as a comic book writer, while Lindelof, known for creating the “Watchmen” TV series, and Mundy, a newcomer to comics who ran “Ozark,” collaborate on this project.
“If Damon wasn’t involved, I would have referenced ‘Watchmen’ as a model for making a show that is both emotional and true to its comic origins,” Mundy remarked.
Similar to “Watchmen,” “Lanterns” also delves into themes of race, colonization, and justice. King highlighted the impact of ‘Watchmen’ in the ’80s, setting a benchmark for comic book writers to explore these themes through superheroes.
Poorna Jagannathan, who plays the cunning and enigmatic Zoe, hopes “Lanterns” will draw more actors into the DCU, even those unfamiliar with comic books.
“I expected to be acting with a green screen, isolated, but I was hesitant as I didn’t know this world at all,” she told Variety during the premiere at Paramount. “I felt like I didn’t belong and was ignorant about it.”
She added, “I believe this universe and others in the genre will be influenced by ‘Lanterns.’ It will serve as a model on how to handle grand stories with emotional depth.”
As the DCU seeks to broaden its horizons, gauging audience reactions to “Lanterns” could play a crucial role in the decision to renew for a second season.
“Fans dislike being pandered to with fan service,” Lindelof said about managing fan expectations. “Fandom is diverse; some want bold, edgy storytelling, while others prefer familiar narratives.”
The “Lanterns” team had to navigate certain canonical elements carefully, such as John Stewart’s role in “Man of Tomorrow” and the reappearance of Guy Gardner, played by Nathan Fillion, who also features in “Superman” and “Peacemaker.”
Regarding the future of the DCU, “Lanterns” emphasizes the importance of creative voices leading the charge.
“You can’t go out of bounds in terms of storylines that James and Peter want to do,” Lindelof noted. “But artistically, they’re giving us a lot of freedom to tell the story how we want.”
“Lanterns” is set to premiere on Sunday, August 16, on HBO Max.
