'Lanterns' Director James Hawes Compares Series To 'True Detective,' Confirms It Has "Buddy Cop Structure"

James Hawes, one of the directors for DC Studios’ upcoming Lanterns series, which stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, compared the series to HBO’s True Detective while confirming it has a “buddy cop structure.”

While promoting his first major studio film in The Amateur, Hawes gave an update to The Hollywood Reporter about Lanterns.

He said, “Talking tone, it looks and feels rooted. You meet two guys , but there is wit and comedy to it that you would not expect in True Detective. It is, in many ways, a buddy cop structure with travel in the story time, to and fro, that is really sophisticated.”

“[Showrunner] Chris Mundy has done the most amazing job with the team there, and so I think [the True Detective comparison] is valid. People will still go, ‘What were you talking about?’ to some extent, but I would also bring in No Country for Old Men, Fargo and things that have that Americana heart to them. There’s a wry humor, and so there definitely is more wit and humor than there is in True Detective,” he added.

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Hawes also had high praise for Pierre’s performance as John Stewart while also reiterating how he’s grounded the world despite it following two Green Lanterns and having aliens. He said, “He has such a magnificent presence. He feels so forceful, so cool, so understated.”

“Again, I wanted this world to be rooted, and while there’s only so far you can go with rooting characters in a show about Green Lantern, they are. This is a world where we accept that the Green Lanterns exist and aliens exist. So the rest of it is played straight and in the world as we know it,” Hawes concluded.

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The series began production at the end of February with Mundy revealing the goal of the series, “From the start, our driving force has been to deliver a layered drama – rooted in nuanced storytelling and rich world building – that balances tension and mystery with honest, authentic emotion. The goal is to create something that feels timeless and grounded without sacrificing the magic of the source material.”

The official synopsis for the show states, “The series follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.”

Hawes directs the first two episodes with other episodes directed by Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel, and Alik Sakharov.

The show is expected to stream on MAX some time in 2026.

What do you make of Hawes’ comparison to True Detective?

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