The official Lanterns trailer finally showcased the best look yet at Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) using his Green Lantern powers. Lanterns is set to pull back the curtain on Hal Jordan's origin story in the DCU, providing context on his stint as Earth's protector while also showing his mentorship training with John Stewart. While one of the big complaints surrounding Lanterns is the lack of green and scenes of the titular Green Lanterns using their powers, DC is reversing the downward trend of the HBO Max series by unleashing more Green Lantern constructions, power-heavy action sequences, and building up to its intriguing plot tied to its murder mystery storyline.
DC Studios and HBO Max officially released the second trailer for Lanterns, giving fans their best look at Hal Jordan using his Green Lantern powers in the series. This is a significant moment for Lanterns because Hal demonstrated his Green Lantern ring powers more prominently than in the earlier, more grounded teaser.
At the 0:11 mark, Hal Jordan can be seen using his ring to counterfeit money. While it played out in a comedic fashion, it cemented the ring's versatility in the DCU, with its user utilizing it for non-heroic moments.
Wearing the Green Lantern ring can also allow its user to fly. At the 0:41 mark, Hal takes off and flies, and the footage shows a smooth flight without much of the heavy green aura seen in previous iterations of the character in DC animation and in Ryan Reynolds' 2011 Green Lantern movie.
One of the best sequences in Lanterns featured in the official teaser was Hal using a green bubble construct to shield himself from bullets in a shootout inside a diner at the 0:26 mark of the teaser.
This effortless defense showcases the Green Lantern ring's protective capabilities and Hal's confidence as a longtime DC superhero.
At the 0:05 mark, Hal summoned a large green shield construct to block incoming red energy beams from an unknown source.
As one of the most visually striking moments in the trailer, this shot reinforced the idea that Lanterns is still a superhero show, suggesting higher-stakes cosmic battles will unfold in the HBO Max series.
Watch the official trailer for Lanterns below:
Lanterns arrives on HBO Max on August 14. The series stars Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Nathan Fillion, Kelly Macdonald, Ulrich Thomsen, and Garret Dillahunt.
Why Showing Off Hal Jordan's Powers In Lanterns Is The Right Choice (And What It Means for The DCU)
Showing off Hal Jordan's powers in the new Lanterns teaser is no doubt the right move for HBO and DC Studios' upcoming superhero series.
Aside from addressing early concerns about the lack of green in the early marketing materials, the inclusion of these Green Lantern ring abilities reassures audiences that this is a Green Lantern story at its core, not just a normal TV show that uses a glowy ring as mere props.
While there are still some detective, grounded elements sprinkled throughout, the latest Lanterns trailer struck the right balance between them. Including the power-heavy action sequences allows viewers to feel that they are purposeful to the story rather than random set pieces jumbled together to make it seem like a superhero show.
Lanterns' heavy showcase of Hal Jordan's powers emphasized the show's respect for the source material while still retaining its grounded element through the right amount of mentor-mentee relationship drama between Hal Jordan and John Stewart.
It is also quite brilliant that most, if not all, of the power-heavy sequences showcased more of Hal Jordan rather than John Stewart. This is a deliberate choice so fans can tune in and wait for his eventual full-blown superhero transformation within the HBO Max series, making it feel earned rather than forced.
