Damon Lindelof apologizes for Lanterns controversy
The teaser trailer for HBO’s upcoming Lanterns series has proven divisive. On one hand, it looks like a slick, True Detective-style mystery, but it’s noticeably light on actual Green Lantern action, and, oddly enough, pretty short on… green. There’s a glimpse of a power ring, a suit hanging in a closet, and a quick shot of Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan taking flight, but that’s about it. Fans were already feeling underwhelmed, but things escalated when resurfaced comments from Lanterns co-creator and writer Damon Lindelof sparked fresh controversy. Now, he’s issuing an apology.
Damon Lindelof on Lanterns
During a 2024 appearance on the Lovett or Leave It podcast, Lindelof made a joke about the show’s title. “It’s called Lanterns, because we all agreed that the Green was stupid, so now it’s just Lanterns,” he said.
In response, comic creator Grant Morrison said, “Why does a writer attach himself to this kind of narrative if he thinks it’s fundamentally ‘stupid’? You don’t hand CSI scripts to patronising writers who condemn forensics experts and their haircuts as ‘stupid’, so why hire people who are ashamed and in denial about the comic book material they’ve been assigned to develop? Why don’t they turn down jobs they’re not suited for?… The only people who give a fuck about the Lanterns TV series are Green Lantern fans. Why alienate them at the start? That feels more like ‘stupid.’“
Lindelof took to Instagram to apologize.
I have upset Grant Morrison, which means I have now pissed off MOST of the brilliant British/Scottish comics writers that I grew up idolizing. To quote the bard (Otis Redding), this is nobody’s fault but mine.
I made a dumb joke on a comedy podcast. I’m not going to bob and weave about context, the joke was dumb, the fandom is not. I owe them an explanation and a genuine reflection of my actual feelings.
The very first time I appeared on a ComicCon panel was for the Lost Pilot, back in the summer of 2004. I wore my favorite T-shirt as I had long grown out of my favorite underoos, those being the uniform of Hal Jordan, Green Lantern of Sector 2814. For a quiet, uncoordinated kid, there was nothing cooler than a hero whose superpower was his imagination. And green is not stupid, it is my lifelong favorite color and I have a questionnaire that I filled out in third grade to prove it. Green is f***ing awesome.
More importantly, it would be a betrayal to everyone I worked for and alongside to say anything other than I was absolutely honored to be a part of the team that manifested the incredible construct that is Lanterns… because it was. I was sloppy and careless with my words, ironic considering I care so much about Hal, John and the entire Corps. I can and will do better to be worthy of the oath… until then, I’ll let the show speak for itself and I can’t wait for you all to hear what it has to say.
Different Time Periods
Lanterns follows Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as they investigate a murder in the American heartland. One way the show is similar to True Detective is that it will span different time periods.
“Our story takes place in a couple of different time periods and so the challenge was for the characters be consistent at their core,” said co-creator/showrunner Chris Mundy. “John’s sort of a different person in one of them than he is in another. And I do think the physicality and magnetism that Aaron brings to the role brought that all together. That theater training, that wanting to be in the minutia of the work and the craft, it really added to John’s character from all sides. It added dimension to the more physical side of the role, and to the more emotional, creative part of the role.“
We’ll be seeing more of Green Lantern as it was announced last week that Pierre would reprise his role in James Gunn’s upcoming Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow.
Did Damon Lindelof actually need to address this?
The post Damon Lindelof apologizes for Lanterns controversy appeared first on JoBlo.