The first teaser footage for DC's Lanterns series is different in one key way. The new superhero series, set to debut on HBO Max in 2026, introduces several key Green Lantern heroes into the DCU, including Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre). After Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner showcased the powers of the ring in 2025's Superman, audiences are eager to see more of the iconic Green Lanterns in action in 2026.
HBO is yet to release a full trailer for Lanterns. However, the first footage of the new DC Studios series was included in HBO's "Coming in 2026" preview. While the Lanterns footage is brief, it's enough for the series to make history as a DC TV show, before it's even aired.
Notably, the Lanterns footage is the first instance of a teaser for a DC live-action superhero show to not feature the titular hero in their iconic superhero costume. The few scenes showing John Stewart and Hal Jordan in action only feature them in regular civilian clothes. Lanterns has been described as a more mature, True Detective-style show, which breaks away from the traditional comic book nature of many other superhero TV shows, which may explain why this precedent has been broken.
Most DC live-action shows in the past have promoted their titular superhero characters front and centre in their superhero suits in the first teaser trailers. Arrowverse shows like The Flash, Supergirl, and Arrow all included the main hero in their counterpart superhero costume in the first footage. It's a tradition that has been held fast through decades of DC TV history, with everything from the 1960s Batman TV show to 2025's Peacemaker Season 2 featuring the titular hero in costume in the show's first teaser.
Some outliers, like Smallville and Gotham, are similar to Lanterns in that they don't feature the main hero in costume right out of the gate, although these shows also don't feature a DC hero in the name of their show. Similarly, shows like Gotham Knights and Naomi feature heroes without traditional DC superhero costumes, so the absence of superhero suits in the trailer makes sense.
It remains to be seen how Lanterns will handle the more exaggerated elements of Green Lantern's comic book lore, such as the fantastical green suits, while also maintaining its more mature tone. However, the series is definitely keeping things more grounded by excluding these costumes from the first footage of Lanterns.
Lanterns is created for HBO Max by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King. Alongside Chandler and Pierre, the series also features the return of Nathan Fillion and the debut of Kelly Macdonald, Ulrich Thomsen, and Jason Ritter in the DCU. The series is expected to premiere mid-way through 2026.
When Will Lanterns Reveal the Green Lantern Suit?
Lanterns' lack of Green Lantern garb in the first footage raises many questions about how the hero's super suits will be handled in the HBO show. Lanterns' more grounded and mature crime show tone seems to suggest it won't lean as hard into the superhero elements of its comic book source. But it wouldn't seem right for Hal Jordan and John Stewart not to wear a superhero suit at some point in the series.
Potentially, the series may go for a more grounded approach to the Green Lantern suit, similar to how Christopher Nolan approached Batman's costume (realistic and functional) in the Dark Knight trilogy. This could result in a complete suit redesign for Green Lantern, with the spacefaring elements from the comics more muted for Lanterns' gritty tone.
Audiences have already witnessed Guy Gardner's superhero attire in Superman, which featured the Green Lantern wearing a LordTech-designed suit as part of the Justice Gang. This was a more muted version of the traditional Green Lantern black-and-green body suit, with the main feature piece a stylized jacket with the Green Lantern symbol. Lanterns may consider introducing something similar that is in keeping with the HBO show's tone.
Alternatively, it could be that Jordan and Stewart have a good reason for not wearing a superhero suit in Lanterns. Stewart and Jordan are investigating a murder in Nebraska in Lanterns, which would likely require them to ditch their intergalactic attire and go undercover in human attire to blend in with the people on Earth.
