DC fans are still debating the newly released Lanterns teaser, but a closer look at the footage may hint at a major twist about the DCU timeline.
The trailer sparked backlash for several reasons, including Hal Jordan seemingly claiming he is the only human Green Lantern. That line confused fans because Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner already exists in the DCU. Did Gunn and the creative team simply forget or bother not to care?
However, there may be a simple explanation.
What if those scenes take place in the past?
A closer look at the teaser, along with comments from showrunner Chris Mundy, suggests Lanterns could be telling its story across multiple timelines, where I am guessing that Hal Jordan might already be dead in the present-day DCU.
Lanterns May Be Showing Hal Jordan In The Past
In the trailer, Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) appears to say he is the only human Green Lantern.
That line raised immediate questions because Guy Gardner, played by Nathan Fillion, is also human and already exists in the DCU. To boot, Fillion is also confirmed to be appearing in Lanterns.
But if Hal’s scenes take place earlier in the timeline, the line suddenly makes sense.
Guy Gardner may simply not have been chosen yet.
Showrunner Confirms Multiple Time Periods
Lanterns showrunner Chris Mundy previously confirmed the series unfolds across different points in time.
“Our story takes place in a couple of different time periods and so the challenge was for the characters be consistent at their core,” Mundy explained to Men’s Health. “John’s sort of a different person in one of them than he is in another.”
Mundy also praised Aaron Pierre’s performance as John Stewart, noting how the actor helped bring depth to both sides of the character.
“That theater training, that wanting to be in the minutia of the work and the craft, it really added to John’s character from all sides. It added dimension to the more physical side of the role, and to the more emotional, creative part of the role.”
The comments strongly suggest Lanterns will jump between different points in the DCU timeline.
The Trailer May Reveal Multiple Decades
Another clue about multiple timelines is that the vehicles shown in the teaser also hint that Lanterns spans several eras.
The car Hal and John are driving when it crashes appears to resemble a model from the 1980s.
Other vehicles shown throughout the trailer look more like they come from the 1990s through the early 2010s.
One of the most modern cars spotted appears to be a Kia Optima, possibly from around the 2016–2020 range. However, there is nothing in the trailer that suggests any of the events take place in the present day (correct me if I’m wrong in the comments below).
If accurate, that would mean the series covers several decades of events.
We also see in that town meeting that no one has phones.
John’s watch via above also seems to be from 2009ish.
Is Hal Jordan Already Dead In The DCU?
If Lanterns jumps between past and present timelines, it raises an interesting possibility that Hal Jordan may already be dead in the current DCU timeline.
The show could be using flashbacks to tell Hal’s story while following John Stewart in the present as the active Green Lantern.
That would allow the series to explore Hal’s legacy while still positioning John as the primary Lantern moving forward.
It also explains the use of only one ring (other than budget restraints), since it seems Hal has to “retire” and pass his ring to John. Another possibility is that once John finishes his training, maybe he will get his own new ring.
Consider this all speculation right now.
Between Hal’s dialogue, the older vehicles seen in the teaser, and Chris Mundy confirming multiple time periods, Lanterns may be telling a much bigger story than the trailer initially suggests.
Lanterns is scheduled to premiere on HBO in August 2026.
