HBO has released four new Lanterns image stills pulled from the recently released trailer, and they continue to paint a very clear picture of what the DCU series is going for.
Instead of showing off the big cosmic side of Green Lantern, the new images lean even harder into the grounded murder mystery angle.
The stills feature Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart, Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan, and Kelly MacDonald’s sheriff character in what looks more like a small-town crime drama than a traditional Green Lantern project.
That lines up with what we already covered following the teaser, which focused heavily on a stripped-down approach, with barely any powers, almost no green energy, and a tone that felt far removed from the usual Lantern mythology.
The New Lanterns Images Focus On Character, Not Spectacle
The first still puts John Stewart front and center inside what appears to be a town hall or community gathering. He looks serious, closed off, and very much like a man being watched by the people around him.
Another image shows Hal Jordan standing outside in the middle of a dusty small-town setting, again reinforcing the grounded Americana vibe HBO and DC Studios are pushing with this series.
A third still gives a better look at Kelly MacDonald’s law enforcement character, dressed in uniform and standing in what looks like a local rodeo.
The final image shows Hal and John together inside a bar, with Hal seemingly talking John through something important.
Taken together, the four images continue to sell Lanterns as a character-driven rural mystery first, and a Green Lantern series second.
It Backs Up The Budget Concerns
That is also why the images are only going to add more fuel to what fans have already been saying.
As we noted in our first trailer breakdown, the teaser had almost no major effects outside of a brief flying shot from Hal Jordan. There were no big constructs, no alien spectacle, and none of the visual imagination fans usually expect from Green Lantern.
These new stills do not change that impression at all. If anything, they double down on it.
Everything about the images says Lanterns is staying small, grounded, and controlled.
The Images Also Fit The Fan Backlash
The stills also arrive after the trailer got hit with a lot of criticism online.
Fans roasted the teaser for not feeling like Green Lantern, questioned why Hal and John seem to be sharing one ring, and picked apart the lack of actual green visuals.
Others also mocked the grounded tone, comparing it more to True Detective (same showrunner) or a small-town crime series than a show about space cops.
That backlash is not likely to go away with these new images, because none of them show the larger sci-fi side of the series.
The Hal Jordan Timeline Theory Still Makes Sense
The new images also continue to work with the theory that Lanterns may be unfolding across multiple time periods.
We previously pointed out that one possible explanation for Hal Jordan saying he is the only human Lantern is that parts of the series take place in the past, before Guy Gardner enters the picture.
That theory was backed up by showrunner Chris Mundy confirming the story takes place across different time periods.
Lanterns premieres on HBO in August.
