James Gunn Stands By The Casting Of Kyle Chandler As Hal Jordan In ‘Lanterns’

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Dr. Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler) searches for his lost son in Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), Warner Bros. Pictures

Kyle Chandler is an accomplished TV actor, but is off the mark for Hal Jordan, say a lot of fans, due to his age (59). Hal is usually spry and under 40 – unless he is on the verge of a ‘Parallax Effect’ – but James Gunn is the final word on casting, and he is okay with Chandler starring in Lanterns

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Dr. Russell (Kyle Chandler) goes looking in all the wrong places in Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), Warner Bros. Pictures

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Like he told IGN, the DCU creative director believes Chandler’s seniority is an asset to the story the show team of Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King seek to tell. “The truth is Chris [Mundy] and Tom [King] and Damon [Lindelof] wrote an amazing series, like an incredible series. I’m so excited for people to see this,” Gunn said.

“It’s very grounded, very believable, very real. The kind of things that you would never think that would be the truth about a Green Lanterns television series,” he continued. “And very human, adult and wonderful. And the story that they wrote fit a couple of actors who were of these ages and so that’s who they cast. Those were their choices. I totally backed them up. I love them.”

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Hal Jordan (Josh Keaton) and Guy Gardner (Diedrich Bader) in Green Lantern: The Animated Series Episode 14 “The New Guy” (2012), DC Entertainment

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There is speculation over all this that Hal’s arc won’t go beyond Lanterns’ inaugural season, and that the ring will ultimately choose John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) to shoulder the burdens of protecting his Sector. However, with Guy Gardner around (Nathan Fillion), that’s not entirely likely.

Chandler could also knock his performance out of the park where the Coast City Angels play and justify sticking around. However, anyone eagerly awaiting the DCU will have time to build anticipation for Lanterns, but not too long. Gunn also revealed the timetable for the upcoming slate will place its premiere at some point before Supergirl in 2026.

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T-D-K (Nathan Fillion) has a sip in The Suicide Squad (2021), Warner Bros. Pictures

“It’s really Creature Commandos, Superman, Peacemaker, Lanterns, Supergirl. And then some things people don’t know,” he noted about the rollout order. “We’ll see when it comes out, but they’re around the same time.” Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow flies into theaters on June 26th, 2026.

READ NEXT: Rumor: Hal Jordan Will Be Older Mentor Figure To Younger “Hothead” John Stewart In ‘Lanterns’

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