DC Studios' Lanterns Press Conference: My Takeaways

Last week, I was lucky enough to be invited to a virtual press conference for Warner Brothers and DC Studios' newest show Lanterns. I've been under embargo up to this point, but now that the first episode is out, we can dive into it! The full press conference is not available to the public, so I'll be giving some of my takeaways and quotes that I pulled from the event! If you are looking for my reaction to Episode 1, check out our TikTok where I gave all my thoughts. A huge thanks to WB/DC for thinking of me for this event, it's a true blessing!

Synopsis:

"The series follows new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery with cosmic ties as they investigate a murder in the American heartland."

Cast (in attendance at the press conference):

Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan

Release Date:

Episode 1 is live on HBO Max Now! (Eight Episodes In Total, with a new episode every Sunday!)

Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler Explain Their Dynamic

Credit: John Johnson/HBO Max

The dynamic between Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) is the backbone of the first episode and beyond, so it should be in no way surprising that both actors talked at length about the relationship between the two. Chandler started by explaining that it was important to get to know Pierre off set, bonding off screen before diving into any of the material together. He said that after that, it was incredibly easy to get into character and start working on their buddy cop dynamic. Pierre said there was a big "safety felt between us", with a feeling of freedom to explore and fail after they got to become good friends off set. He explained that upon reading the script, he saw "magic already on the page" and that also made it easy to step into the role.

As for each of them individually, they were both incredibly open and honest about their thoughts going into the roles. Chandler joked about playing an aging superhero, saying that there is "humor in getting older" and "goodness in wisdom". He turned this into a very serious answer though, saying that being older gives you wisdom that you may not see in a younger actor. Shortly after, Pierre wowed the whole media crowd by giving a very detailed answer about his experience going into playing this character. He said that not only did he have to do research into the character, but also his own personal struggles and background. He appreiciated the truth and honesty in John, with him carrying a ton of "access points" that allows all of us to feel seen inside him. Pierre talked in a very vulnerable way about his past struggles mentally and physically, something that I really appreciated for an actor that is having his career take off. It's clear both Chandler and Pierre really believed in this material, which shows in the first episode and beyond.

Grounded/Sci-Fi Mix Led Creators To The Project

Credit: John Johnson/HBO Max

We also got to hear a lot from the showrunner/co-creators of the show, Damon Lindelof (Lost, Watchmen) and Chris Mundy (Ozark, True Detective). Both have an incredible array of non-superhero credits to this point, so the question from a lot of the media was: why this? Lindelof said the initial pitch of "space cops on earth" and "passing on the ring" drew him into the idea. Then that led into this idea of "superheroes, but humans first", something that isn't necessarily always seen in a lot of the big action spectacle superhero projects. There's been a lot of online backlash from fans due to the grounded nature of this show, and hoping that things will be changed later on in the series, but Lindelof explained this was the core purpose of taking on the show. Mundy explained that they wanted to ground the show emotionally in the Hal and John dynamic. He said that in Lanterns, the idea of superheroes "is part of our world" and the public need to accept them as real people. They both named some of the inspirations for the show, with a 1950s western being a more birds eye view and No Country For Old Men or Midnight Run being specific projects.

Another one of the writers and co-creators we heard from was Tom King, who is a renowned comic writer in his own right. He referenced back a lot to the original introduction of John Stewart in the comics as this new superhero that Hal instantly rejects the idea of. They wanted to take that idea and bring it into a modern, realistic setting. His main line of thinking for this was "why are the powers important", which is seen a lot in the way Hal selfishly uses them in the first episode. When asked about the small town setting, he referenced back to the idea that it allowed this to be a plot that really stood out. King also mentioned that his grandmother was from a town very similar to the one we see in this show and that her heart is felt throughout all his writing on the show.

Supporting Cast Had A Blast Working Together

Credit: John Johnson/HBO Max

Although most of the questions were directed at the main cast, we also got to hear a little bit from the supporting cast. The first was Kelly Macdonald, who plays a sheriff who runs a very tight ship even with the addition of Hal and John into the picture. She explained that her character very much sees right through Hal's charms and that's very pivotal to her future in the show. Macdonald said it was very fun to play a "no-nonsense, swearing" personality and that her sheriff outfit felt like her own superhero suit. Poorna Jagannathan and Garret Dillahunt play a married couple with their fair share of issues, which both of them had a blast talking about at the presser. Dillahunt explained that the relationship felt "free and easy" as an actor due to the outstanding writing on the page. We see Jagannathan's character form a quick bond with John very early in the first episode, something that she described as an instant curiosity and a relationship that will "become a foil for the Lanterns". Lastly, Dillahunt praised the two leads, but especially Pierre with his status as a rising star in this industry. He encouraged media to check out his other work in addition to the great work he does in this show.

Season 2 Possibility?

Credit: HBO Max

A very quick detail that some may have missed from the press conference was Dillahunt seemingly confirming that a Season 2 is planned for this project. While praising Pierre, as mentioned in the last section, he explained that he was very excited to see where he goes in the second season. Obviously we have to take this as a grain of salt, especially with a few of the previously announced DC projects being pushed back after the fact. It is important to note though that Mundy/Lindelof/King and the entire cast seemed to have an absolute blast on this project. All the actors praised the writing constantly throughout this presser, with the creators explaining how enriching this project was for them. Like most things, it probably depends on how Season 1 is received both ratings and viewership wise. I will say, if early reviews are any indication, this will be a huge hit for WB/DC.