The Lanterns timeline theory is looking a lot stronger.
EW.com has released new images from HBO’s Lanterns and spoke with showrunner Chris Mundy, who confirms the DCU series will unfold across two timelines. That backs up what we previously pointed out after going through the footage: parts of Lanterns looked like they were set in the past.
The cars, the small-town setting, and the grounded look of the footage all suggested something was off with the timeline. Now Mundy confirms the story begins in 2016 and also jumps ahead 10 years to 2026.
Lanterns Starts In 2016
According to EW, Lanterns begins in 2016 with a shooting in Rushville, Nebraska.
Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, has apparently been keeping tabs on the town from afar and believes the incident has alien ties. Kelly Macdonald plays Sheriff Kerry, who isn’t convinced there is anything extraterrestrial going on.
Mundy describes the tension as a jurisdiction issue, but not the usual FBI-versus-local cops setup. This time, it’s the Green Lantern Corps dealing with a local sheriff.
That fits the True Detective-style approach DC Studios and HBO have been pushing since the start. Lanterns is still about Green Lanterns, but the first season is built around an Earth-based mystery rather than a full cosmic spectacle.
Two Timelines Confirmed
Mundy confirms Lanterns has two timelines.
The first takes place in 2016. The second jumps ahead 10 years to 2026, with Mundy teasing “something else” happening later in the story (insiders have told us it goes cosmic later).
The reveal gives more weight to the idea that the earlier footage was not fully set in the present-day DCU.
When the trailer first screened, the older cars and the small-town setting stood out. The footage didn’t look like a story taking place after the events of Superman. It looked older, more stripped down, and more rural.
Now we know why.
Hal Jordan Is Training John Stewart
The EW report also gives more detail about Hal Jordan and John Stewart’s relationship.
Hal is forced to bring along John, played by Aaron Pierre, who is described as a new Earth-bound Lantern recruit. John has only been under Hal’s mentorship for two months, and Mundy says John is an anomaly.
In Green Lantern lore, the ring chooses the Lantern. Hal was chosen after Abin Sur crash-landed on Earth and died. John’s recruitment is different. According to Mundy, the Guardians of the Universe intervened directly and self-appointed John into the Corps.
This creates tension between Hal and John.
Mundy describes the dynamic as “the old guard and the heir apparent.” He also says John is the backup Lantern in case something happens to Hal.
Does This Mean Hal Jordan Is Already Gone In 2026?
This is where the big question comes in.
If the show starts in 2016 and jumps to 2026, what happens to Hal Jordan in the gap?
Our theory is that Hal may already be dead, missing, or out of the picture by the time the main DCU timeline catches up. The new EW interview doesn’t confirm that, but it does make the theory more plausible.
Mundy says Lanterns will explore what happens between Hal and John across the eight episodes. He also says the show uses the two timelines to create emotional mysteries, not just a basic whodunnit.
In other words, the mystery may not only be about the shooting in Rushville. It may also be about what happened to Hal and John over the next 10 years.
Guy Gardner Fits Into The Timeline
The two-timeline setup also helps explain Guy Gardner.
Nathan Fillion plays Guy Gardner in Superman, which takes place during the 10-year gap between the 2016 and 2026 Lanterns timelines. Mundy confirms Guy will appear in Lanterns “a few different times” and describes him as “fabulously obnoxious.”
That matters because one of the biggest questions from the early Lanterns footage was why Hal seemed to be presented as the main human Green Lantern while Guy is already active in the DCU.
Now the timeline makes more sense.
In 2016, Hal can still be the established veteran. John can be the new recruit. Guy can enter the picture later through Superman and then appear in Lanterns as the story moves closer to 2026.
Sinestro Also Plays Into Hal’s Story
EW also confirms more about Sinestro, played by Ulrich Thomsen.
Mundy doesn’t say Sinestro is the main villain of Season 1, but he does point to the importance of Hal being trained by Sinestro and then Hal training John.
The showrunner says they are interested in what gets passed down through that “coaching tree,” both good and bad.
That could be another major part of Hal’s arc. If Sinestro’s fall shaped Hal, then Hal’s choices could shape John. The series may be using John as the next step in the Green Lantern legacy while showing Hal dealing with the damage left behind by his own mentor. Aaron Pierre happens to be confirmed for Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow, Kyle Chandler is not.
Lanterns Release Date
Lanterns premieres August 16 on HBO and HBO Max.
The series stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Kelly Macdonald as Sheriff Kerry, and Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro.
The new details make one thing clear: Lanterns is not just a Green Lantern mystery. It is also a Hal Jordan and John Stewart story told across time.
The question now is what happens to Hal between 2016 and 2026.
