HBO’s Lanterns trailer finally reveals the green powers fans want to see

We learned that Lanterns will get a new trailer on May 18, but the teaser for that trailer also reveals something DC Comics fans have been waiting to see.

James Gunn shared a new clip of the show on his Bluesky and Instagram on May 17 with the message: “Danger is part of the job. New #Lanterns teaser tomorrow.” While the clip lacks audio, we see Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart jump over a car, and Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan summon a large green shield to block a laser that seems to be shot down to Earth from space.

The second clip is particularly noteworthy because it’s the first time we’re seeing Hal’s powers used for something other than flying. The first trailer for the HBO show positioned it as a fairly grounded crime drama and was somewhat controversial as it didn’t feature much of the bright green construct-creating abilities that Green Lanterns are known for. This teaser, and hopefully more of the second trailer, show more action featuring those powers.

In fact, a recent interview suggests that the conflict the first trailer focused on is only a small part of the larger whole. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Chris Mundy acknowledged that the show will address the cosmic side of Green Lantern lore and explained that the show takes place in two different eras.

We’ve mostly seen footage from 2016, when Hal and John investigate an alien-related shooting in the small town of Rushville. Another part of Lanterns will take place in 2026, after the events of Superman, but what that plot is about remains a mystery. Hopefully, this second trailer will shed even more light on parts of the show set in 2026.

We’ll update this post tomorrow when the full trailer comes out. If you don’t want to spoil the show for yourself, avoid watching the trailer and wait for it to start airing weekly on HBO and HBO Max starting August 16.