5 Predictions For HBO's Green Lantern Series

There haven't been a ton of live-action versions of Green Lantern. Even given how many different people (just in terms of Earthlings alone) have taken up the Green Lantern mantle in the comics, pre-2025 live-action iterations of Green Lantern have been confined to a handful of broadcast network shows and a 2011 Ryan Reynolds star vehicle that's become absolutely infamous. James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe, though, has worked overtime to bring the various Green Lanterns back to notoriety in live-action. Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner debuted in "Superman," while the forthcoming HBO DC Universe show "Lanterns" will debut this saga's iterations of John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler).

"Lanterns" promises to plop these two cornerstones of Green Lantern mythology into a rural murder mystery clearly evoking both "True Detective" and "Yellowstone." So much of "Lanterns" is still concealed in mystery, but enough information has trickled out about the project to inspire some reasonable predictions about what this HBO program will entail. Five predictions regarding certain events and appearances in the inaugural "Lanterns" season seem especially likely for several reasons. Some seem possible given the storytelling choices of past DC Universe projects.

Others seem probable due to the characters and settings already confirmed for appearances in "Lanterns." Whatever informs their conceivability, don't be shocked if these five predictions about what happens in HBO's "Lanterns" ultimately come true. Let's explore these predictions with the kind of fearlessness marking the greatest Green Lantern warriors.

As part of the "grounded" aesthetic of "Lanterns," the show's creative team has already confirmed the show will not feature Green Lantern Corps members beyond its two leads and Guy Gardner. In other words, DC Universe versions of Tomar-Re and Kilowog aren't showing up anytime soon. Given the program's Earthbound focus and budgetary restrictions, extended glimpses into the Green Lantern planet Oa are also likely off the table. However, it'd be shocking if this realm remained off-screen for the entire first "Lanterns" season.

Instead, it's reasonable to assume audiences will get a very fleeting glimpse of Oa in "Lanterns." Perhaps it will appear in the season finale, much as "Creature Commandos" added King Shark, Nosferata, and Khalis to its new team while "Peacemaker" introduced Checkmate and Salvation.  Plus, a brief wide shot of Oa would keep the camera and viewers far enough away from the domicile that other Green Lantern warriors don't need to appear on-screen. They can just be distant dots hovering around Oa's assorted landmarks.

Offering a brief look at this core Green Lantern location would offer teases for where future "Lanterns" seasons and John Stewart-led DC entries could venture to. That brevity, meanwhile, would ensure Oa doesn't disrupt the intended "True Detective-"style aesthetic. It just doesn't make any sense to imagine a live-action Green Lantern show, even one evoking a gritty Western, wouldn't make room for any glimpse of Oa.

At the end of the second "Lanterns" trailer, Laura Linney suddenly appears in a close-up shot as an unnamed character, encouraging John Stewart to get out there and reaffirming his worthiness of the Green Lantern powers. Though her role is currently shrouded in secrecy, internet speculation has run rampant that she's playing none other than Carol Ferris. That certainly sounds like a logical role for this monumental performer on multiple levels.

For one thing, Linney and Hal Jordan performer Kyle Chandler are roughly the same age. It sure seems reasonable for Linney to play a character so closely intertwined with Jordan, especially since she and Chandler are two of the few 60+ year-old actors in the "Lanterns" cast. More importantly, though, Linney is a three-time Oscar nominee, five-time Tony nominee, and a living legend. Just look at the esteemed parts littering Laura Linney's best movie and TV roles. It's doubtful the "Lanterns" crew has hired her for a disposable one-off role. Hiring her to covertly portray one of the core figures in Green Lantern mythology, though, would be a tremendous part worthy of Linney's immense chops.

It's not inconceivable that the internet's speculation here is off base and Linney is indeed playing a new character in "Lanterns." Several signs, though, suggest Carol Ferris could become the first character to be portrayed by both Laura Linney and Blake Lively in live action (at least until that "Age of Adaline" reboot comes around).

So far, the DC Universe has delved into some weirder and obscure corners of its source material. Metamorpho showed up in "Superman," for instance, while the Captain Triumph superhero identity materialized in the second "Peacemaker" season. Given this proclivity, it would be shocking if "Lanterns" didn't explore or at least reference a kookier nook of the Green Lantern lore. In the late 2000s, writer Geoff Johns and artist Ethan Van Sciver opened up a whole new can of worms by introducing additional Lantern factions differentiated by color into the history of the Green Lantern Corps.

These include the Blue, Yellow, Indigo, Black, and Orange (among other hues) Lanterns, each with their own emotions fueling their powers (just as willpower propels Green Lanterns). As the greater Western conspiracy fueling "Lanterns" unravels and Jordan shows Stewart the Green Lantern ropes, it'd be unsurprising if those additional Lantern groups came up. Delving into their specifics (let alone actually seeing these characters) will undoubtedly wait for another day. Still, if Jordan's teaching Stewart about Green Lantern material, it'd be wise to inform him that groups like the Red Lanterns exist out there.

Plus, DC Universe projects like "Supergirl" are taking cues from very modern DC Comics productions, showing that these assorted movies and shows aren't afraid of superhero elements established in the 21st century. Expect to see that trend continue with an acknowledgment that Green Lanterns aren't the only ones out there in the cosmos with vibrant rings.

Though not prominently featured in many of its current trailers and TV spots, one of the primary adversaries of "Lanterns" is cowboy William Macon (Garret Dillahunt), who holds an immense amount of power over Rushville, Nebraska (he's also the father-in-law of the program's leading lady, Kelly Macdonald's Kerry). Given that the name William Macon sounds a bit vague and the character's purported importance to "Lanterns," fan speculation has run rampant online that Dillahunt will actually be playing a famous Green Lantern baddie from the comics. Right now, it certainly looks plausible that Dillahunt's William Macon will eventually be revealed in "Lanterns" to be an antagonist ripped from DC Comics lore.

But which of the most powerful DC villains could Dillahunt portray? Much of the current speculation has suggested Macon will actually be Black Hand. However, there are various other baddies William Macon could be an alias for, including Doctor Polaris or Major Disaster. Heck, he could even be a cosmic alien posing as a Nebraskan human. Perhaps Larfleeze took on this alias for his own wicked machinations. With decades of Green Lantern comics to reference, there's a plethora of options for who William Macon could actually be.

Of course, there's a chance Garret Dillahunt really is playing a new character. However, with "Lanterns" confirmed to feature Green Lantern supporting players Guy Gardner and Sinestro, it'd only make sense to utilize yet another prominent figure from this superhero's past for this character.

The dark history of Green Lantern includes the storylines where Hal Jordan, infected by Parallax, became a vicious villain. That incarnation of the character has loomed large over all subsequent iterations of and storylines involving Jordan's Green Lantern. The trailers for "Lanterns" have shown Jordan and Stewart working (albeit reluctantly) side by side to solve a Nebraskan murder, but they've also depicted Jordan as extremely hostile toward his younger cohort. Between this and speculation that the "Lanterns" may be hiding a major DC universe villain in plain sight, rooted in Jordan's potential inability to previously save the day, "Lanterns" is likely carving out a morally complicated version of this DC Comics mainstay.

Given this reality, it would be surprising if the first "Lanterns" season didn't start doling out teases regarding Jordan's eventual descent into villainy. For one thing, Aaron Pierre's John Stewart is set to join David Corenswet's Superman as a do-gooder hero in "Man of Tomorrow," but not Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan. That detail could suggest the initial "Lanterns" season ends with Stewart ascending to superhero status while Jordan begins succumbing to Parallax. More broadly, giving Hal Jordan a concrete long-term moral trajectory towards wickedness could give both the DC Universe and Kyle Chandler plenty to work with.

After all, Hal Jordan's turn to the dark side is one of his most famous comic book storylines. It's inevitable that "Lanterns" would suggest such a seminal character turn in the DC Universe's future.