Fans are eager to see James Gunn and Peter Safran’s plans for the DC Universe, especially after the first ten movies and Max-exclusive television shows were announced earlier this year. Among those first projects is Lanterns, a long-awaited live-action show diving into the mythos of the Green Lanterns. The show is described as a True Detective-esque drama, surrounding the iconic duo of Hal Jordan and John Stewart.
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At the time of this writing, details surrounding Lanterns — including its creative team and any of its potential stars — have not been made public. But that definitely doesn’t stop theories about what the show could entail, and which heroes and villains from the DC mythos could appear. The fact that Lanterns is set on Earth definitely opens up some intriguing possibilities — and here are ten characters we’d like to see.
Guy Gardner
Surprisingly, neither Hal or John is the first Green Lantern to officially be cast in the DCU. That honor goes to Guy Gardner, who is confirmed to be played by frequent Gunn collaborator Nathan Fillion in Superman: Legacy. There’s no telling what Guy’s DCU future will look like beyond that appearance — but it does make a heck of a lot of sense for him to show up in Lanterns.
Guy’s rivalry and rapport with Hal and John — or at very least, his unique approach to the larger Lantern Corps — could provide plenty of narrative fodder. Maybe he wouldn’t need to appear in the entire show, but he could be a fixture of a fascinating standalone episode.
Carol Ferris
In the eyes of some fans, a Hal Jordan isn’t complete without Carol Ferris. Whether she is running Ferris Air, romantically involved with Hal, or operating as the antiheroic Star Sapphire, Carol has tons of narrative potential. Blake Lively’s previous live-action portrayal of her in 2011’s Green Lantern just barely scratched the surface of that — but Lanterns could begin to fix that.
Not only would Carol add some much-needed feminine energy to the show, but the slow burn of her various storylines — and potentially her own turn into Star Sapphire — could be fun to watch.
Jillian Pearlman
Another character who could be a fun part of Hal’s supporting cast is Jillian “Cowgirl” Pearlman. A fellow Air Force pilot, Jillian grows close to Hal both as a civilian and a Green Lantern, and embarks with him on some dangerous missions. She also briefly gets possessed by the Star Sapphire gem, becoming her own version of the antihero.
It’s certainly not impossible to imagine Jillian in Lanterns’ supporting cast, even if she is just a small part of the larger narrative.
Katma Tui
In that same vein, one love interest of John’s who deserves a showcase in live-action is Katma Tui. An alien Lantern from the planet Korugar, Katma has ties to the legacy of Sinestro, and her accidental arrival on Earth creates narrative fodder for Hal and his allies. Eventually, Katma and John end up falling in love and marrying — only her to be killed less than a year later by Star Sapphire.
Lanterns could easily use Katma to acknowledge the larger Lantern mythos, and provide John with an intriguing romantic foil. Plus, the show would get a chance to remedy the heartbreaking way that Katma originally perished in the comics.
Green Arrow
For both Hal and John, the “Hard Travelin’ Heroes” era of the late 1970s — which saw Hal and Oliver Queen / Green Arrow travel the country and fight injustices — is a unique touchstone. The run of Green Lantern / Green Arrow not only featured John’s very first appearance, but monumentally shifted Hal and his views on being a superhero.
Even though Lanterns has a wildly different premise, its Earth-bound setting certainly creates an avenue to channel “Hard Travelin’ Heroes”, and possibly provide Green Arrow’s long-awaited DCU debut. Even if it’s just for an episode, the prospect of seeing Hal and Oliver team-up in live-action would get fans hyped.
Black Canary
Of course, if Lanterns decided to emulate the “Hard Travelin’ Heroes” era, an argument can be made that Dinah Lance / Black Canary needs to be a part of it. Dinah joined Hal and Oliver a few issues into their cross-country road trip, providing a female perspective on the challenges they faced, while grappling with her recent move from Earth-2 to Earth-1 and her new superpower, the Canary Cry.
Black Canary’s fate in the DCU is slightly ambiguous at this point, as it is unclear if Jurnee Smollett’s iteration of the character from 2020’s Birds of Prey movie will carry over into the new canon. But either way, Lanterns could be an unexpected — but fitting — way to fold the character into this new universe.
G’nort
Getting back to the Lantern Corps, it’s worth throwing out the possibility that G’nort — the Justice League International member and accidental Green Lantern — would be a good candidate for the show. With the physique of an anthropomorphic dog and a heart of gold, G’nort has become a lovable and bizarre part of the Lantern lore.
Sure, an absurd character like G’nort would seem out of place in the True Detective-esque world of Lanterns — but that’s precisely why it would be so fun to see. Plus, the recent Human Target series from Tom King (who is part of the DCU writers’ room) and Greg Smallwood already showcased the uncanny, but delightful way G’nort could translate into a noir world.
Itty
We already know that Gunn is unafraid of featuring DC’s weirder aliens in live-action, thanks to Starro the Conqueror in The Suicide Squad. If Lanterns also wanted a CGI alien starfish — albeit in a wildly different context — Itty is available.
The tiny alien, who is part of the Ayries legion of aliens, joined Hal on a number of adventures in the Bronze Age. After being presumed dead, Itty was briefly resurrected a gigantic cloud of gas, walking off into the sunset with his soulmate, Lasma. Much like G’nort, Itty is one of those elements of Lantern lore that would be anachronistic to the tone of Lanterns, but in the best possible way.
Air Wave
If Lanterns wants to really dive into Hal’s family legacy, any iteration of Air Wave would be a fun way to do it. The superhero mantle, which is associated with an array of energy-based superpowers, has been held by Hal’s uncle Larry, aunt Helen, and cousin (also named) Hal since the Golden Age of Comics.
The Air Wave legacy could provide a window into some of the DCU’s previous superhero history — or, in the case of the younger Hal, briefly provide the Lanterns with an unconventional sidekick.
Manhunters
There’s really no telling what adversaries Hal and John could fight in Lanterns — but given the tapestry of the Lanterns’ mythos, the Manhunters would be a fun possibility. Although the Manhunter moniker has been used by a number of heroes and villains, they began as a cosmic police force, created by the Guardians of Oa prior to the forming of the Green Lantern Corps.
That rivalry, and the Manhunters’ ability to cause trouble within the DC canon, could make them an intriguing foe as Lanterns‘ plot takes shape.
