Lanterns, the Inexperienced Lantern-focused TV collection set within the DC Universe, has been filming since mid-February, and slowly however certainly, we’re getting a greater thought of what to anticipate from it. For instance, Ulrich Thomsen has been solid to play Sinestro within the upcoming DC TV present, and understanding the character’s historical past from the comics, it stands to purpose he’ll have a bone to choose with Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart. Now there’s one other villain who’s been thrown into the combo, and it seems like he’ll even be inflicting loads of hassle.
Paul Ben-Victor from TV reveals like Entourage and No person Desires This has been introduced aboard Lanterns to play an alien character named Antaan. In accordance with Deadline, Antaan is concentrated on “exposing the reality and exacting vengeance towards those that wronged his folks.” Holding a deep-seated hatred for the legislation, he’s determined to “ship justice on his personal phrases.” This may really be Ben-Victor’s second DC Universe position, as he voiced Straightforward Firm member Bulldozer in an episode of Creature Commandos, which may be streamed with a Max subscription.
If Antaan has the facility to dispense justice as he sees match, then it’s in all probability an excellent wager that he has sufficient energy to make Hal and John’s life troublesome. And because the Inexperienced Lanterns are primarily cosmic cops devoted to defending the beings of their assigned sectors of the universe, Antaan’s not going to look after them by any means. What’s significantly fascinating, nevertheless, is how a lot he seems like a longtime Inexperienced Lantern character from the comics.
Upon studying the outline for Antaan after which happening social media to confirm that different Inexperienced Lantern followers had my identical prepare of thought, he’s harking back to Atrocitus, the founding father of the Crimson Lantern Corps. Atrocitus hates the Guardians of the Universe as a result of the Manhunters, the peacekeeping predecessors to the Inexperienced Lanterns, worn out nearly the entire inhabitants of Sector 666, the place Atrocitus got here from. Solely he and 4 others survived the bloodbath, however Atrocitus killed the others after he was consumed by rage and have become the primary Crimson Lantern.
I ponder if that is a type of instances the place the identify Antaan is a misdirect and he’ll be revealed as Atrocitus in a while throughout Lanterns’ first season. Alternatively, contemplating that almost all of the characters on this present are unique creations up to now, it may simply be that Antaan is certainly somebody brand-new created by showrunner Chris Mundy and govt producers Damon Lindelof and Tom King. If that’s the case and I find yourself liking Paul Ben-Victor’s efficiency as Antaan, then hopefully he may be added to the comics at a later date.
Nonetheless, there may be one ultimate be aware I wish to depart off on: this present known as Lanterns, not Inexperienced Lanterns. Maybe this is a sign that your entire emotional spectrum might be explored, with Antaan/Atrocitus channeling the purple power of rage. Since Lanterns isn’t anticipated to premiere on HBO till early 2026, it’ll be some time till that is confirmed or debunked, however as a longtime reader of Inexperienced Lantern comics, my fingers are crossed that I’m onto one thing.