The first teaser trailer for DC Studios and HBO’s Lanterns has arrived, and the reaction online has been anything but glowing.
While the series stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, many fans expected the trailer to showcase the cosmic scope and bright energy constructs that define the Green Lantern mythos.
Instead, the teaser leans heavily into a grounded, small-town murder mystery tone, something fans are now mocking online as “New Country for Old Lanterns,” a play on No Country for Old Men.
Across Reddit, YouTube, and X, viewers are pointing out issues ranging from the lack of powers to apparent lore contradictions.
Fans Say The Trailer Doesn’t Feel Like Green Lantern
A major complaint is that the teaser barely shows any Green Lantern action at all.
There are no ring constructs or green energy, and the tone feels closer to a gritty cop drama than a cosmic superhero story.
Fans on social media quickly noticed.
“How do you make a Lantern teaser with zero actual green?” one viewer asked on X.
Another added: “Where is the GREEN in LANTERNS?”
Reddit reactions echoed the same criticism.
“This looks jarringly bland for a story about two cops from outer space who create glowing green weapons with their imaginations,” one fan wrote.
Another commenter added, “It would have been great if they showed some actual damn Green Lantern stuff in the Green Lantern TV show trailer.”
Several viewers also compared the tone to crime dramas rather than superhero storytelling.
“Feels like a True Detective hybrid,” one Reddit user wrote.
Another added that the series “looks like an action drama show that just happens to be tied to Green Lantern.”
Fans Already ‘Fix’ Hal Jordan’s Suit
Another moment drawing criticism is a scene where Hal Jordan’s suit appears hanging in a closet (note: there are apparently three suits, maybe one is John’s, and fans are speculating another could be for Alan Scott).
The outfit shown in the teaser looks brown rather than the iconic green.
Fans wasted no time correcting it.
Within minutes of the trailer dropping, users on social media edited the image to restore the classic green color scheme, arguing that the version shown in the teaser doesn’t resemble a proper Green Lantern costume.
Reddit users also questioned the concept entirely.
“I always thought GL suit was made by the ring itself, it never was an actual suit he put on,” one commenter said.
In Green Lantern lore, the uniform is typically generated by the ring as a construct of light, not something stored in a closet.
Continuity Questions About Human Lanterns
Fans also noticed a possible continuity issue in the trailer.
At one point Hal Jordan appears to say he is the only human among the Lanterns.
However, the DCU already established that Guy Gardner — played by Nathan Fillion — exists as a human Green Lantern.
Reddit users immediately picked up on the discrepancy.
“I am the only human? Does he not know Guy Gardner exists?” one fan asked.
Another added, “There was multiple suits in Hal’s closet, AND he said he’s the only human lantern, so what’s going on with Guy?”
Ring Communication Also Raises Lore Questions
Another moment in the trailer suggests Hal has difficulty communicating with alien Lanterns.
That line has also sparked debate among fans familiar with the comics.
In traditional Green Lantern lore, the power ring automatically translates languages and allows Lanterns to communicate across species.
“Hasn’t talked to other alien lanterns? Does the ring not translate?” one Reddit user asked.
Sharing The Ring Confuses Fans
The teaser also shows Hal Jordan and John Stewart sharing a single ring.
That detail also contradicts the established mythology.
In the comics, Lanterns are normally chosen by the ring itself and each Lantern receives their own ring from the Guardians of the Universe. Sharing a ring between two Lanterns is not typical within the lore.
Some fans speculate the show may be using the shared ring as an excuse for budget restraints.
Others see it as another example of the show deviating from the source material.
No Powers In The Trailer
Perhaps the biggest complaint is the near absence of Green Lantern powers.
Aside from a brief shot of Hal flying, the teaser contains virtually no special effects or ring constructs.
That lack of spectacle is fueling speculation about the production’s budget.
The grounded tone lines up with our reports that Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav placed financial restraints on DC Studios projects amid the ongoing corporate uncertainty surrounding the company.
It explains why the teaser focuses on grounded storytelling rather than expensive cosmic visuals.
Update: The official HBO Max X account has taken notice of all the fan complaints and posted:
Gunn fans defend trailer
Despite the backlash, some fans are defending the trailer.
Gunn supporters argue the show was always described as a grounded mystery in the style of True Detective and that the cosmic elements may appear later in the series.
“It’s a teaser so of course they’re hiding stuff,” one Reddit user wrote.
Another added that the trailer may only cover the early episodes and that the larger Green Lantern mythology will appear later.
Still, the early reaction makes one thing clear — many fans expected Lanterns to look a lot more like Green Lantern.
Instead, at least for now, the teaser looks more like a small-town crime drama without a power ring.
Lanterns is scheduled to premiere on HBO in August 2026.
