Is DCU's New Green Lantern Show The One HBO Max Was ... - Screen Rant
Among the slate of projects coming to the new DCU is a Green Lantern-centric show called Lanterns. However, HBO Max already had a series in development about the Green Lantern Corps. Is this newly-announced Lanterns show the same as the one HBO Max had previously been developing? Based on DC Studios' announcement of its upcoming slate, this does not seem to be the case.
James Gunn and Peter Safran have set the stage for an exciting future in the DCU, and finally, the Green Lanterns are playing their part. Unfortunately, 2011's Green Lantern starring Ryan Reynolds failed to set up a promising future for Green Lantern characters in the DCEU. While there were early plans in the DCEU for a Green Lantern Corps film, it was ultimately plagued by the franchise's constant internal turmoil and creative upheaval. In an announcement revealing DC Studios' development slate, James Gunn laid out how the old will lead into the new with The Flash essentially resetting the DCU. This will give DC Studios the opening it needs to finally introduce the Green Lantern Corps without any baggage from the DCEU and Snyderverse. The Green Lanterns Corps can now play a pivotal and foundational role in the DCU's developing narrative.
Green Lantern's TV Show Future Explained
James Gunn has described Lanterns as incredibly important to the future of the DCU. Like other projects in Chapter 1, Lanterns is not hesitating to jump into the deep end, beneficially straying away from an initial origin story by featuring both Hal Jordan and John Stewart right from the get-go. With more Corps members set to appear, it's clear how important the Green Lanterns are to Gunn's DCU as a whole. They will help expand the scope and incorporate the cosmos as an integral sector of the DCU - something that was lacking from the original franchise.
Lanterns could be intended to be a long-term project, extending beyond a single season, so it can showcase the vast potential of the Green Lantern Corps. This approach allows for different storylines and arcs to be told through varying perspectives, and critically, it can venture beyond the Green Lanterns to include the other Lantern Corps. In fact, the show's title of Lanterns over specifically Green Lantern proves DC Studios' intention to do so. Showcasing the vast spectrum of Lanterns can help authentically enrich Chapter 1's theme of "Gods and Monsters" by bringing Jordan, Stewart, and the Green Lanterns to their rightful status on par with the likes of Superman and Wonder Woman.
The images and graphics DC used in announcing these projects may also signal their plans for these stories. Aptly, Lanterns used images of Hal Jordan and John Stewart from Green Lantern: Earth One, which was revolutionarily different from other Green Lantern stories and even featured Stewart becoming a Yellow Lantern. While this isn't to say Lanterns will follow the exact same trajectory, this element is key to understanding how the show can feature other members of the Lantern Corps. By expanding outwards with Lanterns, the DCU build up to bigger events from the comics, such as the epic Blackest Night storyline.
What The HBO Max Green Lantern Originally Looked Like
Over the years, various Green Lantern Corps projects have been announced, including an HBO Max series. However, that was going to be radically different. Finn Wittrock was set to star in Green Lanterns as Guy Gardner, alongside Jeremy Irvine as Alan Scott. It's still confusing to what extent this would've fit into the DCEU, or whether it would be its own self-contained story - what would now be considered a DC Elseworlds property. The choice of Gardner and Scott does point to the fact that DC had other plans for Jordan and Stewart, with the latter almost appearing in Zack Snyder's Justice League, played by Wayne T. Carr.
Evidently, Lanterns has superseded this previous series, but it might have actually just absorbed it. Gunn himself debunked claims that Green Lanterns was outright canceled, so there's a definite chance that Wittrock and Irvine may still carry over. They had no relation to the previous regime and could be easily integrated into Lanterns and the larger DCU, alongside the others who were set to appear like Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz.
Lanterns Is A Bold Endeavor For The DCU
Interestingly, HBO's True Detective was specifically cited as a creative inspiration for Lanterns, thus revealing a particular genre outside the classic superhero formula. This choice is quite bold, especially for something so early and integral to the franchise's longevity and success. It ensures that Lanterns will stand out from the highly-saturated landscape of superhero movies and tv shows. However, it is still a big risk to go down this path. The Green Lanterns are cosmic, yet Lanterns is conversely described as terrestrial. If they don't balance the two correctly, frankly, Lanterns and the DCU are doomed.
The True Detective comp does open up an intriguing option available to Lanterns. It could follow in that series' footsteps with seasonal arcs and rotating protagonists. Season 1 can follow Jordan and Hal together, and the next could then focus on Gardner and Scott, thus incorporating Wittrock and Irvine. The DCU shouldn't be rushing into things like a Justice League film, but rather focus deeply on really developing and fleshing out the individual heroes and groups. Thanks to its deliberate focus and structure, Lanterns can do its part to give the new DCU the strong start it deserves.
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