Kyle Chandler in ‘Lanterns’. Photo: John Johnson/HBO Max.
‘Lanterns‘ debuted on HBO and HBO Max on August 16th. The new DC series follows John Stewart and Hal Jordan as they investigate a murder.
“Only one can wear the ring.”
Air Date: August 16th, 2026
Moviefone attended a press conference for ‘Lanterns‘ featuring Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, as well as three of the writers and executive producers.
Related Article: TV Review: ‘Lanterns’
1) Kyle Chandler Was Surprised To Be Asked To Be A Superhero Later In Life
Kyle Chandler in ‘Lanterns’. Photo: Courtesy of HBO Max.
Kyle Chandler admits that he was surprised to get the call to play Hal Jordan, but that he enjoys the humor of getting older that is woven into the story.
Kyle Chandler: It’s a great opportunity. I mean, as far as I’m concerned, when I got this, I was like, oh, wow, really? I’m going to be a superhero? Me? It was a great advantage because there are things with your older years that come to you that you get to, in a project like this, you get to use them. It’s like being married for 20 years and you’re playing a husband who’s got two kids and there’s things you know that no one else is going to know. So that’s a lot of fun. And there’s a lot of humor in getting older. And there’s a lot of humor in this show. It’s just you get to play out so many things. And it’s important. I guess in a way, too, it’s really important to show older people’s lives and this young culture that we’ve got going on.
2) Aaron Pierre Feels See By Jon Stewart & Is Honored To Play Him
Aaron Pierre in ‘Lanterns’. Photo: John Johnson/HBO Max.
When talking about his character Jon Stewart, Aaron Pierre admits that he feels very seen by him and his journey.
Aaron Pierre: Jon, to me, is somebody who is a raging sea internally. Externally he’s a gentleman, he’s precise, he’s accurate, he’s intentional, he’s clean. But internally he’s a raging sea, he’s a tornado, he’s a volcano. I give the analogy of going to someone’s house and it’s spotless, but you find that one room that they shoved everything in and it’s hell in there. This is not therapy so I won’t get into myself, but I’ve had my fair share of learning to master my sober mind and learning to navigate my experiences as somebody who does feel things very heavily and deeply. So I feel very seen by Jon and I’m ready to do this till the wheels fall off, to be honest with you.
3) Kelly Macdonald Says Kerry Has The Best Wardrobe On The Show
Kelly Macdonald in ‘Lanterns’. Photo: John Johnson/HBO Max.
Kelly Macdonald loves a lot about her character in ‘Lanterns’, Kerry, but most of all was a fan of her wardrobe.
Kelly Macdonald: She’s aware of their presence and I just love that about her, when I was sent the script, that she’s very no nonsense and swears a bit, I think, from what I remember. And yeah, it’s all fun. That’s really fun stuff. Plus, I also want to say, I’ve got this real thing for Americana and anything vaguely cowboy. I’ve got far too many pairs of cowboy boots in my wardrobe. In Glasgow, it makes no sense. And so playing her was completely thrilling. I’m so okay about not being a superhero myself because I was the one that had the costume. I had a badge. I had a massive hat, Yosemite Sam style, and bespoke cowboy boots.
4) Poorna Jagannathan Says That Her Character Has An Instant Connection With Jon Stewart
Aaron Pierre in ‘Lanterns’. Photo: Courtesy of HBO Max.
Poorna Jagannathan says that in her eyes, Zoe has an instant connection with Jon Stewart because they are the only two people of color in a very white town.
Poorna Jagannathan: Look, I think this is, correct me if I’m wrong, it’s a whodunit, right? It’s a bit of a murder mystery, but actually it’s a very profound dissertation on power. And that is also the case with Zoe and William Makin. It becomes very clear pretty early on that both of us with Sheriff Kane and we want to maintain the town’s power and we become a foil for the Green Lanterns in a certain way, you know? So the exploration of this character, I mean, first of all, she sees Jon and there’s an instant affinity. We’re probably the two people of color in a very, very white town, right? So there’s an instant connection, instant curiosity that happens. But as it unfolds, it’s really exploring different power dynamics of different people. And it’s a very, it is very mysterious indeed, guaranteed.
5) Garret Dillahunt Raves About His Costars, Kyle Chandler & Aaron Pierre
(L to R) Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler in ‘Lanterns’. Photo: John Johnson/HBO Max.
Garret Dillahunt has a lot of great things to say about his castmates. He remains tightlipped about season two, but hints that he has an idea of what is to come.
Garret Dillahunt: I guess I can’t talk about much past (season) one, but it sure is a pleasure to play, and I’m sure grateful to be here. I just want to take this opportunity to say, walking onto this set that you all put together, the script was something. But I’d never met Kyle before. I feel like I’ve known him for about 30 years now. We just got along great, and this young man here, Aaron, I hope you’ve seen some of his other work, but I know we’re just scratching the surface. You should know I was with Alexa Fogel the other day, who put this thing together, and she also went and saw Aaron on stage in London playing in Cuckoo’s Nest. And she was so floored. She was like, I’ve never seen him like that. I didn’t know he could do that. He was completely different than what you see here. So I’m excited to see what he does in season two. I think you’re going to see this face for Jon Stewart for years to come. I think Green Lantern was waiting for him. But it’s just a great group, and I’m so thankful to you all for welcoming us so completely and giving us these great characters to play.
(L to R) Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler in ‘Lanterns’. Photo: John Johnson/HBO Max.
What’s the plot of ‘Lanterns’?
‘Lanterns’ 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.
Who stars in ‘Lanterns’?
- Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan
- Aaron Pierre as John Stewart
- Kelly Macdonald as Kerry
- Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner
- Garret Dillahunt as William Macon
- Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe
- Ulrich Thomsen as Thaal Sinestro
‘Lanterns’ premieres on HBO Max August 16th. Photo: Courtesy of HBO Max.
Leave a Reply