HBO's upcoming Green Lantern series, titled "Lanterns," has unveiled a substantial new trailer at San Diego Comic-Con. The trailer shifts the series' focus from its initial grounded, True Detective-inspired premise to a more expansive cosmic setting, introducing the threat of the Manhunters, the robotic predecessors to the Green Lantern Corps.
In DC Comics lore, the Manhunters were created by the Guardians of the Universe as an interstellar police force. They eventually gained self-awareness and rebelled against their creators. While many were destroyed, some have infiltrated planets, operating in disguise. The Green Lantern Corps was established as a replacement for this flawed system, leading to historical conflict between the two entities. The new trailer suggests these Manhunters will be central to the murder investigations undertaken by Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, and John Stewart, portrayed by Aaron Pierre.
The trailer also highlights the dynamic between Jordan and Stewart, with Stewart seemingly positioned as Jordan's successor. Furthermore, the iconic Green Lantern villain Sinestro, played by Ulrich Thomsen, is confirmed to make his debut in the series.
Viewers can expect to see the signature power displays of the Green Lantern rings. The trailer depicts John Stewart struggling to manifest flight, producing a bird instead, while a more experienced Hal Jordan demonstrates the creation of force fields, tornados, and even a bottle opener, offering a lesson to his less experienced counterpart.
Lanterns features an ensemble cast including Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Laura Linney, Jason Ritter, Ulrich Thomsen, Nathan Fillion, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Jasmine Cephas Jones. The series is scheduled to premiere on HBO and stream on HBO Max on August 16.