DC Studios just offered the first full trailer for HBO's Lanterns, the next live-action TV entry in James Gunn's DCU, and the backlash is already flying. The rebooted DCU has already delivered three major projects in Creature Commandos, Superman, and Peacemaker Season 2, all of which were largely crafted by Gunn himself. That all changes this year, as Supergirl, Lanterns, and Clayface will have to prove that the DCU works without the DC Studios co-CEO being as involved.
Fans reacted well to the first look at June's theatrical blockbuster, Supergirl, albeit with some concerns about its resemblance to Guardians of the Galaxy. DCU fans just received a trailer for their second major release of this year in HBO's Lanterns, which will premiere in August, starring Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart, two Green Lanterns. Despite strong buzz surrounding the project and its creative team, reactions to the trailer have been less than stellar.
Lanterns' 5 Major Trailer Criticisms Explained
No Extraterrestrials/Space Elements
DC's Green Lantern mythos is about as sci-fi as it gets, with Hal Jordan and John Stewart being chosen by the immortal blue-skinned Guardians of the Universe to guard an entire sector of space, armed only with a will-powered ring.
And yet, DC Studios has chosen to ground a duo of literal space-cops on Earth to investigate a terrestrial-based mystery and murder in the American heartland. The decision is certainly a strange one for the first Green Lantern adaptation in 15 years, as fans are yet to see a true adaptation of that world.
Lanterns will feature an alien villain in Paul Ben-Victor's Antaan, who many have speculated is secretly the Red Lantern Corps' founder, Atrocitus. But alas, fans only caught a glimpse of Ben-Victor in a human form in the DCU teaser, raising concerns about whether any true alien beings will feature at all.
Little Evidence of Lantern Powers/Constructs
The crux of the Green Lantern Corps comes from their Emerald rings, which allow them to craft willpower into light-based constructs that are only limited by their imagination. And yet, fans don't catch a glimpse of any constructs in the trailer, raising concerns that they may go underutilized in favor of a detective-centric tale.
DC Studios offered one glimpse at Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan taking flight, but he was surrounded by no green energy, as he usually is in the comics. That decision is consistent with Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner, a fellow Green Lantern, in Superman, indicating this was an overall DCU style choice.
It should be noted that Lanterns still has around five months of post-production left, meaning the CGI for its will-powered constructs may just not be finished. There have been clues that constructs will be prominent in the show, as the showrunner explained the difference between Hal Jordan and John Stewart's powers.
Dull/Desaturated Visuals
Given that Lanterns has two iconic Green Lanterns at the heart of its story, one would imagine that vibrant green visuals would prominently feature. Sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case, as the HBO series appears somewhat dull and desaturated, more akin to Yellowstone than a sci-fi DCU project.
HBO gave a brutal response to Lanterns' green controversy, making light of the situation by pointing out a green food bowl in the trailer. Ultimately, DC Studios still has time to brighten the visuals a little in post-production, but that may not be enough to fix the generally grounded, gritty vibe.
Lanterns' grounded direction highlights a key component of James Gunn's DCU, being its willingness to vary tones and styles between projects. While some will be happy that everything isn't quite as comic-booky as last year's Superman, the Green Lanterns may not have been right pick for this more grounded approach.
Hal Jordan's Portrayal
DC Studios was catching flak with Lanterns from the beginning in targeting older actors for a grizzled, near-retirement Hal Jordan, as many were eager to see the legendary Green Lantern in his prime. The studio landed on 60-year-old Kyle Chandler, having lost several big names due to Green Lantern's "baggage."
Moving past the flawed decision to bypass Jordan's best years to portray him as a mentee to Aaron Pierre's John Stewart, some have argued that he comes across as too cynical in the trailer, even dropping multiple F-bombs throughout.
Jordan seemed rather dismissive of his fellow Green Lanterns in the trailer's final moments. When asked by Stewart if he had ever spoken with his comrades, the idea was ridiculous to him, despite having served with them for decades: "I'm the only human; they're aliens. One of them is a f***in' squirrel."
The 'Brown' Suit
The most viral criticism for Lanterns' trailer has come from Hal Jordan's superhero suit, which he never wears but is seen hanging in a closet. Fans have jumped to criticize its muted color palette with a mix of dark greens and browns, alongside its material blend of leather and a Kevlar-like armor.
Some have also taken issue with the fact that the DCU's Green Lantern suits have any material at all, as they often emerge instead as light-based ring constructs. It was for that reason that 2011's widely panned Green Lantern movie featured a fully CGI suit, although most agree that the attempt didn't quite land.
It should be noted that this suit seems to belong to Jordan, who in the DCU has been active for several decades and is perhaps not far from retirement. The suit's muted colors may be an intentional choice to convey its wear and tear from a long career, while John Stewart steps into something fresher and greener.
