The DC Universe is hitting the small screen in a big way. The Arrowverse has, of course, been a staple for years now but, with more recent and upcoming shows like Stargirl and Peacemaker, the comics label is making an even larger dent on the medium. One of the projects that fans are most looking forward to is HBO Max’s upcoming Green Lantern show, which will feature multiple heroes wearing the iconic power rings. The show is still in its early days, and plot details are still being kept close to the vest. But if a new report is to be believed, we may have a better idea of how it plans to juggle its assortment of protagonists.
The Green Lantern show is expected to move away from more well-known Lanterns and shift the focus to others from the comics: Alan Scott, Guy Gardner, Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz. So how will the series juggle such a diverse group of characters? Well, according to a report from The Direct, the show will span multiple time periods. The site mentions that it will feature the 1940s, 1980s and present day as settings. It’s unknown how the show would alternate between the timelines.
While this may not be the approach some fans would expect for a Green Lantern series, it actually makes a lot of sense. Each of the Green Lanterns that’ll be featured on the show were created during vastly different time periods and were all popular over different decades.
Alan Scott was originally created in the ’40s and would eventually gain popularity as a member of the Justice Society of America. While the fiery Guy Gardner was actually created in the ‘60s, the character wouldn’t achieve true popularity among the fans until the ‘80s and ‘90s. Both Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz are more recent additions to the DC Universe, having been introduced in 2012 and 2014.
With all of that in mind, keeping the heroes in separate timelines, according to their prime eras within the DC Universe, would be a creative move. You would have to imagine, however, that certain events within the show would somehow have to connect the timelines. Dealing with multiple time periods in a single TV series is rarely easy, though Watchmen and This Is Us have proven that it can be done effectively.
HBO Max’s Green Lantern series is shaping up to be yet another DC show that shines a light on a corner of the comic book universe that casual fans may not be too familiar with. Producers Greg Berlanti and Geoff Johns made a bold move by deciding not to focus on mainstream Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart, but they seem to be aiming to give fans and casual viewers a different kind of adventure—one that also features high production values.
There are still plenty of questions that need to be answered about HBO Max’s Green Lantern show, and it’ll probably be a while before we get any official updates. But what’s been reported so far is still enough to get fans both excited and intrigued.
While you wait for the Green Lantern show to premiere, you can currently stream shows like DC’s Harley Quinn and Doom Patrol on HBO Max.
