Kyle Chandler treated a seemingly harmless question from Aaron Pierre as a trap when his Lanterns costar asked where he bought his shirt.
Pierre submitted the question while the actors visited Entertainment Weekly’s studio at San Diego Comic-Con. After praising Chandler’s “very dapper” appearance, he asked him to identify the shirt’s brand.
Chandler refused, joking that it was somehow a “trick question” and declaring, “I don’t trust him.” He offered only a vague suggestion that the shirt might have come from a company operated by two brothers.
Chandler Turned the Shirt Question Into a Running Joke
Pierre began by complimenting Chandler rather than asking him about the series. Chandler responded by accusing Pierre of enjoying hurting his feelings. He joked that his costar presents himself as large and handsome but is actually “rather selfish and small.”
The Friday Night Lights star claimed that working with Pierre had been emotionally difficult but said he survived because he was “the original Green Lantern.” The remark played on Hal’s seniority within the series and his resistance to being replaced by John.
Pierre returned the teasing by suggesting that Chandler was better at delivering jokes than receiving them. He quickly made clear that the insults were affectionate, calling Chandler “my boy” and praising the decision to cast them together. “We have such a blast,” Pierre said, adding that their pairing had proved “extremely fruitful.”
Their Banter Started During Production
Chandler grew up in rural Texas, while Pierre was raised in South London and trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Pierre told Entertainment Weekly that bringing together performers with such different backgrounds created an unexpectedly effective partnership.
During an early desert shoot, the actors began teasing each other between takes. The actors also compared their rhythm to Abbott and Costello, whose comedy depended on each performer pushing the other without allowing the routine to collapse. Pierre said they preserve each scene’s intended destination while leaving room to improvise how they reach it.
‘Lanterns’ Builds Its Story Around Hal’s Possible Replacement
Showrunner Chris Mundy wanted Lanterns to operate as both a superhero drama and a buddy-cop story. Hal is an experienced but unpredictable former Air Force pilot, while John is a disciplined former Marine sniper with a quieter sense of authority. Mundy told Men’s Health that Chandler began teasing Pierre about his youth almost immediately, while Pierre responded by mocking Chandler’s age.
Their characters face a similar generational conflict. John has been chosen to take over if something happens to Hal, but Hal is not prepared to surrender the identity, authority or ring that have defined him. John’s refusal to react to every provocation is central to his power. Mundy said the character understands that he belongs and does not need to prove himself by shouting or accepting every challenge Hal presents.
Pierre also had to combine John’s military background with his work as an architect and artist. The Green Lantern ring transforms imagination and willpower into physical constructs, making John’s creativity as important as his strength.
The story unfolds across two periods. In 2016, John is two months into his training when he accompanies Hal to Rushville, Nebraska, to investigate a shooting with possible extraterrestrial connections. Scenes set in 2026 gradually reveal how the case and their relationship developed over the following decade.
The Comic-Con Trailer Shows Hal Fighting to Keep His Place
HBO released a new official trailer during the show’s Comic-Con presentation, where Chandler and Pierre appeared with cast members and co-creators Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King. The footage provided the first full look at Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, Hal’s former mentor. Sinestro pressures Hal to acknowledge that John is not merely his trainee or backup but his replacement.
Another sequence shows John taking Hal’s ring before the two fight inside a hotel room. Hal responds by insisting that John will never replace him. The footage also introduces the Manhunters as a possible cosmic threat while expanding the Earth-based murder investigation that brings Hal and John together.
The eight-episode series also stars Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Laura Linney, Jason Ritter, Nathan Fillion, J. Alphonse Nicholson and Jasmine Cephas Jones. Lanterns premieres Sunday, Aug. 16, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will stream on HBO Max.