Those who were expecting some proper superhero action — complete with the costumes, rings, and everything — were disappointed when DC dropped the first trailer for "Lanterns" starring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as veteran Lantern Hal Jordan and John Stewart as the younger one, in a seemingly shaky mentor-protege relationship. However, netizens who appreciated the vibe of the trailer came to its defence, praising its grounded quality.
James Gunn, co-CEO of the rebranded DC Studios, said a while back that they are going for a buddy-cop investigation drama in the vein of "True Detective", and the visuals presented in the trailer adhered to the makers' earlier claims. The two investigate a murder in a small town. It's quite the opposite of what one normally sees in a big-scale superhero extravaganza.
Created by Damon Lindelof ("Lost", "Watchmen"), the series, which is set to premiere on HBO MAX in August, also has the advantage of appealing to fans who prefer R-rated, long-form storytelling, similar to what James Gunn did with "Peacemaker". At least "Lanterns" wouldn't be as irreverent (in a good way) as the John Cena-fronted show.
Kyle Chandler, known to many for playing authority figures, seems the right casting for Jordan, whose constant attempts to keep Stewart grounded are seen by the latter as annoying. Stewart walks around with the belief that guys like Jordan are "old and tired" and that it's time to make way for the newer generation. Pierre recently got more attention for his role in the crime thriller "Rebel Ridge".
"Lanterns" is the latest in DC Studios' upcoming slate, following the upcoming "Supergirl" and the recently released "Creature Commandos" and "Superman".