Lanterns will have two timelines, one of which is set 10 years in the past – which means the TV show will be the first story on the new DCU timeline.
The 2016 timeline looks to be the main story. It involves a shooting in Nebraska, which Hal Jordan is investigating with new recruit John Stewart. This is the plot line teased in the show's trailers and promotional material, but it looks like the action will also cut to 10 years later "to something else" happening in 2026.
"That becomes a second mystery that we know is down the road for us," showrunner Chris Mundy cryptically told Entertainment Weekly. "So eventually two different mysteries get worked out over the course of the show."
When the show's first trailer hit the internet earlier this year, fans weren't happy with its beige tone and lack of superpowers on display, but Mundy has doubled down on his desire to keep the show grounded.
"We wanted to tell an on-the-ground story, and that has a couple of different mysteries inside of it," he added. "What we have going for us is that it's a Green Lantern story. They can conjure anything from the ring. They do go off the planet. There's all these other powers that they have. We wanna use everything that's great about the mythology of the Green Lanterns, but at the same time, we wanted it to feel like an upscale mystery, a very emotionally tangible story about these people that are in it.”
Lanterns arrives on HBO on August 16. In the meantime, get up to speed with the rest of the DCU Chapter One with our guide to all the other upcoming DC movies and shows.
