James Gunn Calls Out Viral AI Leak for DC's Lanterns, Says the New Look Is Fake

James Gunn is back on rumor control duty, and this time it is the Green Lanterns taking the hit. If you saw those slick images of Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan zipping around with glowing rings: pump the brakes.

About those Lanterns 'leaks'

Over the past few days, a couple of images made the rounds claiming to show first looks at John Stewart (supposedly Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (supposedly Kyle Chandler). Gunn jumped on Threads to shut that down, fast:

"Nope, that’s AI."

That is it. The pictures are fake. Worth noting: calling the images AI does not confirm or deny any casting. It just means those specific shots are not real.

What we actually know right now

• There is one official image: John Stewart and Hal Jordan walking down a road together. That is the real first look.
• A trailer was screened behind closed doors. What was shown: Hal flying, some classic bickering between Hal and John, and a wink at the Green Lantern Corps oddball Ch'p.
• Release timing: Lanterns is set for summer 2026. No exact date yet.
• Showrunner Chris Mundy says the series is as much a buddy-cop story as it is a superhero show. The core theme is about when someone should step aside and when it is time for the next person to take over. The Hal/John push-and-pull is the point, and John’s whole deal is keeping his cool — not taking the bait — because once you are shouting, you are giving away your power.

The bigger DC picture

Next up on the DC calendar is Supergirl on June 26, 2026. Lanterns follows that same summer, if all goes to plan.

So for now, the only thing glowing green is the rumor mill. Until DC releases something official, assume any glossy ring-slinging photos are just more AI noise.