HBO's Lanterns is hiding a major DC supervillain, who could be part of its larger True Detective-inspired mystery. Fans are gearing up to meet two new DCU superheroes in Lanterns (which is coming to HBO and HBO Max in August), including Kyle Chandler's veteran space cop Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's rookie hero John Stewart. The eight-episode show will see them investigating a murder in the American heartland that could connect to the DCU's future, but the newly-released and controversial first trailer left it unclear who the big bad is.
DC Comics artist Ethan Van Sciver (who famously worked on Green Lantern in the early 2000s and co-created the Red Lanterns) confirmed that Thaal Sinestro appears in "every episode" on the upcoming HBO series.
Sinestro is undeniably the Emerald hero's most famous villain, starting as a Green Lantern himself before defecting to form the fear-based Yellow Lanterns. He was played in 2011's Green Lantern by Kingsman actor Mark Strong, with the post-credits scene teasing his transformation into a Yellow Lantern.
Deadline revealed last January before Lanterns began filming that Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen would recur in the series as the supervillain Sinestro. While the actor's name has been included in official press releases from DC Studios and HBO, his role as Sinestro is being kept under wraps, at least from the studio.
DC Studios may not have acknowledged Sinestro's presence in Lanterns yet, but the actor behind the Yellow Lantern villain has, while teasing his potential DCU return beyond the HBO series, saying, "Bye for now, Sinestro."
Responding to fans criticizing the lack of familiar Lantern Corps element in the DCU trailer, Van Sciver suggested "there is a reason" that Sinestro wasn't featured in the first look, hinting that the studio is "holding their fire."
How Sinestro Fits Into Lanterns' Murder Mystery
There's no denying that Lanterns' first trailer left many concerned, as it suggested that the DCU's space cops would be relegated to Earth, investigating some terrestial-based mystery for the duration of the series. But the confirmation of Sinestro's major role combined with his absence from the Lanterns trailers indicates there is more to the HBO superhero epic than meets the eye.
Sinestro is famous for being Green Lantern's arch-nemesis, starting out as Hal Jordan's mentor only to fall from grace and form the Yellow Lantern Corps. As the DCU's Jordan, played by 60-year-old Kyle Chandler, is well into his space-policing career, it's likely that Sinestro's downfall is well in the past.
It suddenly begins makes sense why the DCU series is just called Lanterns, not Green Lanterns, as it splits focus between multiple corps. Fans already know they will see Green and Yellow Lanterns in the HBO show, and there is speculation that Atrocitus and the Red Lanterns may also play a role.
As Hal Jordan and John Stewart investigated a murder mystery on Earth that could have major ramifications for the DCU's future, one has to wonder if the other corps will be suspects in this unknown crime. Regardless, it seems likely that this won't be the end for Sinestro in the DCU, as he could return for future seasons of Lanterns, or team up with other villains to form the Legion of Doom.
