Lanterns Comic-Con Trailer Introduces DC's Sinestro - And The Series' True Villains

Warner Bros. and HBO Max have unveiled a brand new look at "Lanterns," the much-anticipated live-action "Green Lantern" TV series. Yes, we got a Green Lantern in James Gunn's "Superman" last year, but this show will introduce both John Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre ("Rebel Ridge"), and Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler ("Game Night"), to the new DC Universe. That makes it a pretty big deal. And with the series premiere just a few weeks away, we now have a slightly better idea of what to expect.

"Lanterns" follows new recruit John Stewart (Pierre) and Green Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark mystery on Earth as they investigate a murder in the U.S. heartland. Plans for Gunn's DC Universe have shifted since Warner Bros.' initial announcement, but this particular show has been on DC Studios' agenda since the very beginning.

Be that as it may, it hasn't been without its controversies so far. Certain fans have been critical of what they've seen, including a lack of color and the costumes, among other things. Comic book legend Grant Morrison is also not happy with "Lanterns," as they're pretty critical of what the show is selling. But, as always, it's best not to rush to judgement. We'll see how it shakes out once the show actually arrives.

As for the specifics of the trailer itself, it offered a lot more superhero shenanigans than the previous trailers, which was one of the complaints fans seemed to have. The series initially appeared to be shying away from the source material in some ways. Not anymore. For one, we get to see Sinestro in the flesh, one of the most powerful "Green Lantern" villains, in addition to the most infamous. Clearly, he and Hal Jordan have something of a history with one another.

The other big thing is that Sinestro doesn't appear to be the core threat that Hal and John will be contending with. That honor goes to the Manhunters — not to be confused with Martian Manhunter, whose debut in the DC Universe has already been teased by James Gunn. Instead, these are shapeshifting aliens who are billed as the most dangerous beings in the history of the galaxy.

In the pages of DC Comics, the Manhunters are a fictional race of alien robots who debuted in the pages of "1st Issue Special" #5 in 1975, created by the late, great legend Jack Kirby. As is often the case, the show appears to be taking some liberties with the source material, but in the comics, the Guardians created the Manhunters to keep the galaxy safe before establishing the Green Lantern Corps. How the Manhunters will fit into the DC Universe, more broadly, remains to be seen.

The cast also includes Kelly Macdonald ("Boardwalk Empire"), Garret Dillahunt ("Looper"), Poorna Jagannathan, Laura Linney ("Deli Boys"), Jason Ritter ("Matlock"), Ulrich Thomsen ("Banshee"), J. Alphonse Nicholson ("They Cloned Tyrone"), and Jasmine Cephas Jones ("Hamilton"). Chris Mundy ("Ozark") serves as the showrunner.

"Lanterns" premieres on HBO Max on August 16, 2026.