DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has fired back at a fan who accused Lanterns of disrespecting Hal Jordan.
The HBO series stars Kyle Chandler as the veteran Green Lantern alongside Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart. However, its first episode jumps from 2016 to 2026 and apparently reveals Hal’s dead body.
Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan in Lanterns – HBO, DC Studios
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One fan called the decision the “worst thing” Gunn’s DC Universe has done so far.
“Maybe you should try and at least respect the characters that made the comics popular,” the fan wrote on Threads. “Killing Hal off right away after we have waited 15 years to see him on screen again was the worst thing you could have done.”
Gunn quickly responded with a lengthy defense of the series and its treatment of Hal.
“Hal’s the star of TV series & he’s in all the episodes so far,” Gunn wrote. “It’s more live action screen time than all the live action screen time he’s had combined throughout history. Kyle is amazing in the role. We more than respect him. We love him, despite his imperfections.”
James Gunn Tells Critical Fan ‘Sorry If You Don’t Like It’
Gunn also suggested that Hal’s apparent death may not be as straightforward as it initially appeared.
“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,” Gunn continued. “Hal is a big reason why the show is so popular with fans & non-fans alike; sorry if you don’t like it.”
James Gunn introduces the trailer for Peacemaker Season 2 – YouTube, DC
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The remark could hint that Hal remains alive or that the body belongs to someone—or something—else. However, Gunn’s dismissive conclusion also made his response appear defensive.
The fan’s complaint was not simply about how much screen time Chandler received. It concerned what the series did with that time and whether its version of Hal resembled the Green Lantern readers knew.
Pointing to the number of episodes featuring Hal does not necessarily answer that criticism.
Grant Morrison Also Questioned Hal Jordan’s Portrayal
Those concerns are not limited to angry fans on social media. Celebrated comic book writer Grant Morrison also expressed skepticism after watching the first episode.
Morrison has extensive experience with Hal, having written two volumes of The Green Lantern alongside artist Liam Sharp.
Image from The Green Lantern: Season Two – DC Comics
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Although Morrison praised Chandler’s performance, the writer did not recognize his version of the character.
“I liked Aaron Pierre’s quiet and uptight performance as John Stewart, and thought Kyle Chandler anchored the show with a great turn as Doctor McCoy, but he wasn’t any Hal Jordan I recognised,” Morrison wrote. “Willpower and booze don’t mix for a start.”
Lanterns Takes Hal Jordan in a Different Direction
Longtime comic book readers may think of Hal as cocky but charming, disciplined, and ultimately heroic. Later stories gave the character serious flaws, but those flaws did not completely overshadow his defining qualities.
By contrast, Chandler portrays a more embittered and sometimes openly hostile version of Hal. To many fans, the result feels like Hal Jordan in name only.
Gunn and his creative team are free to explore a different interpretation of the DC hero. At the same time, viewers have every right to push back when they believe an adaptation has abandoned the character’s core identity.
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