The upcoming Lanterns TV show will span the DCU timeline. Starring Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart, Lanterns has already proved surprisingly controversial. The comics are known for their cosmic stakes, but this promises to be a much more grounded adventure – or, at least, to begin that way. Now, we finally know where Lanterns will fit in the DCU timeline.
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Speaking to EW, showrunner Chris Mundy has confirmed the series will actually be set in two different eras. One part of the story is set in 2016, with Stewart serving as the backup Lantern in the event anything happens to Hal. According to Mundy, it’s “the old guard and the heir apparent,” which fits with the dynamic in the Lanterns trailer. The second period is a decade later, in 2026, and it’s being kept under wraps. “That becomes a second mystery that we know is down the road for us,” Mundy teases.
The Lanterns Trailer Is Hiding So Much More Than We Thought
The Lanterns trailer is clearly hiding a lot more than viewers previously thought to be the case. It’s centered on the dynamic between Hal Jordan and John Stewart, which is clearly the emotional focus of the 2016 section, and it’s entirely possible we haven’t really seen anything from the 2026 part of the timeline. The two different mysteries will naturally be connected; that’s the only reason to tie them together in a single narrative. But the trailer must conceal a lot more than it reveals.
This timeline reveal supports the controversial Lanterns theory that Hal Jordan is retiring. He is the old guard on the verge of stepping down, while John Stewart is the Lantern in charge a decade later. That said, it must be noted that this doesn’t necessarily write Hal out of the 2026 timeline; we don’t know why he’s close to retiring, nor we do know the circumstances. It’s entirely possible something will happen to Hal in 2016, with the more experienced Green Lantern believed dead, and that his story will pick up a decade later. This is a sci-fi superhero story inspired by comics, so nothing can be ruled out.
Lanterns has already divided the DCU fanbase, with many criticizing the show for lacking the cosmic elements they associate with the comics. Given the trailer is clearly intended to deceive, that judgment may well be premature. According to Mundi, the relationship between Hal Jordan and John Stewart will be at the heart of the story. Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner will “be in the show a few different times,” and there will be other characters from the franchise’s mythology – but not other Lanterns. The plan is to save those for future seasons.
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