HBO Max has released the first official teaser for Lanterns, the upcoming DC Studios television series starring Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, and Kelly Macdonald. The drama is expected to debut later this August on HBO in the United States and will be available to stream internationally on HBO Max.
The series marks one of the first major DC television projects developed under the new DC Studios leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran, and aims to bring one of DC’s most iconic superhero mythologies to the small screen.
While full plot details are still being kept largely under wraps, the teaser gives audiences their first glimpse at the grounded, investigative tone that the show appears to be aiming for.
A grounded mystery set in the DC universe
According to the official logline, Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart (played by Aaron Pierre) and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (played by Kyle Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.
The pair are described as “intergalactic cops”, a reference to the Green Lantern Corps, the cosmic peacekeeping organisation powered by the iconic green rings from DC Comics. However, rather than focusing solely on large-scale cosmic battles, the series appears to frame its story more like a detective drama.
The approach aligns with comments previously made by DC Studios, which has positioned the series as something closer in tone to a prestige drama rather than a traditional superhero show.
The teaser also highlights the uneasy partnership between the two leads, leaning into sharp dialogue and tension rather than large-scale superhero action. Brief glimpses of flight and a worn Green Lantern suit hint at the wider mythology, but the focus remains on a grounded investigation unfolding across the American Southwest.
A strong creative team behind the series
The Lanterns pilot episode is co-written by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, who also serve as co-creators of the series. Mundy will act as showrunner, overseeing the creative direction of the project.
The first two episodes will be directed by James Hawes, with additional episodes directed by Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel, and Alik Sakharov. Executive producers on the project include Mundy, Lindelof, James Gunn, Peter Safran, Tom King, Ron Schmidt, and James Hawes.
The series is produced by HBO in association with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios, and is based on the Green Lantern characters from DC Comics.
Another major title for HBO Max’s global rollout
The release of Lanterns also arrives during a significant period for HBO Max, which is preparing to launch in the UK and Ireland later this month.
For years, many HBO titles in the UK were licensed through Sky, meaning British audiences watched shows like Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, and Succession via Sky Atlantic and NOW. However, that long-running distribution arrangement is coming to an end, allowing Warner Bros. Discovery to launch HBO Max directly in the region.
The service will bring a large catalogue of HBO Originals, Max Originals, and Warner Bros. titles together on one platform, including series such as The Wire, True Blood, Big Little Lies, and Girls. New DC projects are expected to be a key pillar of the platform’s content strategy as the company builds out a connected film and television universe under DC Studios.
Alongside upcoming films like Superman, television series such as Lanterns will help expand that world for audiences on streaming.
Lanterns is expected to premiere on HBO and stream on HBO Max later this August. Check out the teaser below:
