“Lanterns” somewhat polarized viewers when its first episode ended with the apparent death of Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan. While many have hailed the HBO drama as among the best live-action DC Comics TV shows ever made, others aren’t so convinced. Some fans believe that taking out DC’s flagship Green Lantern just as the larger DC Universe franchise launches is a step too far. For folks in that camp, executive producer James Gunn has offered a rebuttal.
“Hal’s the star of [a] TV series & he’s in all the episodes so far. It’s more live action screen time than all the live action screen time he’s had combined throughout history,” Gunn explained on Threads. “Us knowing the time of his death, if that’s exactly what that is, is absolutely not the same thing as killing him off right away.”
In his post, Gunn acknowledged that Chandler’s celebrated depiction of Hal Jordan — a character first introduced as Green Lantern in DC’s “Showcase” #22 back in 1959 — is “a big reason why the show is so popular with fans & non-fans alike.” And while Episode 1’s ending may have left some comic book fans furious, Gunn apologized to those unwilling to stick with “Lanterns” through the end to see how it all plays out. “Sorry if you don’t like it,” he added.
James Gunn likens Lanterns to other comic book adaptations
Gunn believes that most comic book fans are, in his words, “well aware” how page-to-screen adaptations — and even the comics themselves — can reinterpret the original source material. “Whether it’s the DCU or Earth 0 or the Absolute Universe, they all pay homage to these iconic characters, retelling their stories in different ways,” he explained elsewhere on Threads. “Heck, even the MCU combined elements of the Ultimate universe, the 616, and original ideas.” Having made films for both DC and Marvel, Gunn would know better than most.
While this may not fully address every criticism of “Lanterns,” the co-chairman of DC Studios reminds the diehard comic audience that superhero adaptations have always pulled from different eras of comic history. This has been true for even the genre’s most popular blockbuster entries, like “The Dark Knight” or “The Avengers.” “If you want the DCU to take the exact trajectory of whatever your favorite comics continuity is, that’s probably not going to happen,” he wrote.
Of course, for those who still think that “Lanterns” is a bit too grounded (a valid criticism), the cult-favorite “Green Lantern: The Animated Series” may satisfy your space operatic cravings. Hal Jordan is alive and well there, and takes his power ring to new alien worlds among the stars. Although, considering Gunn’s insinuation that there’s more to Hal’s death on “Lanterns” than we yet realize, it might be worth sticking with the HBO drama to the very end.
