James Gunn Pushes Back Against LANTERNS Backlash Over Hal Jordan’s Portrayal: “Sorry If You Don’t Like It”

James Gunn has thrown himself into the conversation surrounding Hal Jordan, and he says DC Studios isn’t interested in simply recreating the Green Lantern fans already know from the comics.

Lanternshas recieved mostly positive reviews, but its treatment of Hal has become one of the biggest points of contention among comic book fans.

The DCU version is older, seriously flawed, and carries a past that includes prison time for his actions in 2016. His apparent death and lonely funeral have only added fuel to the frustration.

That’s a massive departure from the heroic Hal Jordan many readers expected to see make his DCU debut. Personally, I like how they are handling the character in the series. I’m still hoping he;s not really dead, though!

The comics offer precedent for Hal going down a darker road, most famously through Parallax, but Lanterns hasn’t indicated that it’s adapting that story. With two episodes remaining, there are still plenty of questions surrounding what actually happened to him and whether his story has truly reached its end.

After fans pointed their complaints toward Gunn on social media, the DC Studios co-CEO responded on Threads and explained why viewers shouldn’t expect the DCU to follow any single comic book continuity.

"I'd say avid comics readers are well aware of the differences from universe to universe," Gunn started. "Whether it's the DCU or Earth 0 or the Absolute Universe, they all pay homage to these iconic characters, retelling their stories in different ways. Heck, even the MCU combined elements of the Ultimate universe, the 616, and original ideas."

"That's how these things work," he continued. "But if you want the DCU to take the exact trajectory of whatever your favorite comics continuity is, that's probably not going to happen."

Gunn also pushed back against the idea that DC Studios has treated Hal Jordan as disposable, pointing to just how significant his role has been throughout the series.

"Hal's the star of [a] TV series [and] he's in all the episodes so far. 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."

That Kyle isKyle Chandler, who plays Hal opposite Aaron Pierreas John Stewart. Gunn went on to defend this version of Hal while dropping an interesting bit of ambiguity about his apparent fate.

"We more than respect him. We love him, despite his imperfections. 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. Hal is a big reason why the show is so popular with fans [and] non-fans alike; sorry if you don't like it."

The key phrase there is "if that's exactly what that is." Gunn isn't confirming anything, but he’s clearly leaving some room for the possibility that what audiences have seen isn’t the complete story.

That could make the final two episodes especially interesting. Hal could remain dead, return somehow, find redemption, or head somewhere completely unexpected.

Considering how much of Lanterns has revolved around his complicated history, it would be surprising if the series didn’t have more to say about him before the finale.

Of course, Hal’s characterization isn’t the only part of the Green Lantern series that has divided fans. The earth-based mystery has meant limited cosmic action and fewer Green Lantern constructs than some viewers hoped for.

The show has instead focused on John Stewart and Hal Jordan investigating a murder in the American heartland, giving the DCU’s Green Lantern Corps a much more grounded introduction.

Along with Chandler and Pierre, the Lanterns cast includes Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Nicole Ari Parker, Jason Ritter, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Jasmine Cephas Jones.

Six episodes of Lanterns are now streaming on HBO Max, with two episodes left to reveal what the series really has planned for Hal Jordan.