House of the Dragon season three is over, and HBO Max is quickly filling the void with another big-ticket series: the DC Comics adaptation Lanterns. While early buzz for the show starring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre was a little confused, to say nothing of that silly “green” controversy, more recent trailers have helped build up more positive and eager anticipation. (That rad San Diego Comic-Con activation also helped.)

And now, HBO Max is here with a little “the first one’s free” energy to get you hooked. The opening five minutes of Lanterns are now up on YouTube, offering a tease of the show’s worldâone in which the Green Lantern is a known presence on Earth. Circa 1996, we see the heroic Hal Jordan (Chandler) being interviewed on 60 Minutes as a young John Stewart watches with keen interest… and then gets busted (sort of?) for breaking his father’s “no TV” rule.

Some William Tell-inspired parenting leads us right into 2016, where we see the adult John (Pierre) teaming up with an older, scruffier Hal for an as-yet unknown mission. Hal’s tardy arrival feels like something he does a lot, just from the vibes.

Not too much happens in the first five minutes, to be honest, but the clip does set up the show’s two timelines and offer a quick contrast between the veteran Green Lantern Corps member and his replacement in trainingâan intergalactic buddy-cop dynamic we’re intrigued to see more of.

The rest of the cast includes Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Laura Linney, Jason Ritter, Ulrich Thomsen, Nathan Fillion, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Jasmine Cephas Jones. Lanterns was co-created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, with Mundy serving as showrunner. It debuts August 16 on HBO and HBO Max.

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