HBO released the first images from Lanterns season 1, episode 4 on September 2, 2026, four days ahead of the episode’s September 6 premiere. The gallery centers on Hal Jordan and keeps his teased Sinestro confrontation out of frame, while Laura Linney’s Guardian character gets new attention.
Bleeding Cool published the episode 4 image gallery on September 2, 2026, sourced from HBO’s own press materials. Episode 4 airs Sunday, September 6 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on HBO and HBO Max in the United States, and the following morning in the UK on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV.
Last updated: September 3, 2026.
What the New Images Show
The episode 4 gallery is built almost entirely around Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan, consistent with HBO’s own billing of the episode as a Hal-centric chapter. What the images conspicuously do not show is any frame of Hal opposite Sinestro, despite HBO’s episode description promising a confrontation between the two that could reshape John Stewart’s fate. Preview galleries for episodes 1 through 3 each included at least one two-shot of Hal and John together; episode 4’s does not, which reads less like an oversight than a decision to keep the season’s biggest scene out of the marketing entirely.
Where the Story Stands After Episode 3
Lanterns’ third episode, "OutKast," centered John Stewart and left Hal’s arc mostly on pause — see our review of that episode for the full breakdown. Episode 4 picks Hal’s thread back up, with Laura Linney’s Guardian raising new doubts about the Guardian Corps’ actual motives and drawing a tighter line between Sinestro and Hal’s own past. Neither character has been confirmed to appear on-screen together yet this season outside the pilot. Readers who want the comics-canon version of what Hal’s ring can and cannot do can check the Green Lantern power ring explainer.
How Big Was the Lanterns Premiere?
Lanterns debuted as the biggest series premiere in DC Studios’ HBO Max history. Variety reported the show drew 9.3 million global viewers in its first three days, about 6.6 million of them in the United States, and Deadline separately confirmed it ranked among HBO Max’s top five series premieres ever — ahead of every prior DC Studios HBO Max launch and several of HBO’s biggest recent debuts outside the DCU.
| HBO/HBO Max series premiere | First 3-4 days, global/domestic viewers |
|---|---|
| Lanterns (Aug 2026) | 9.3M global / 6.6M US, first 3 days |
| IT: Welcome to Derry (Oct 2025) | 5.7M US |
| The Penguin (Sept 2024) | 5.3M US, first 4 days |
| True Detective: Night Country (Jan 2024) | 2M US, first night |
The Season 1 Schedule, and Where Episode 4 Sits
Lanterns is an eight-episode season releasing one new episode every Sunday, not a binge drop. Episode 1 premiered August 16, episode 2 ("Trust Fall") on August 23, and episode 3 ("OutKast") on August 30. Episode 4 on September 6 marks the season’s midpoint, with the finale set for October 4. Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen plays Sinestro, introduced in the season as Hal’s former mentor in the Corps — the relationship the show has been building toward the confrontation episode 4’s marketing keeps just out of frame.
What to Expect From Episode 4
HBO has not released a full synopsis beyond confirming the Hal-Sinestro dynamic advances and that Laura Linney’s Guardian gets expanded screen time. Comic Book Co has not seen the episode ahead of its September 6 broadcast, so any plot specifics beyond what HBO and the released images confirm are unverified and are not reported here as fact.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Lanterns season 1, episode 4 air?
Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on HBO and HBO Max in the US, and the morning of September 7 in the UK on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV.
Do the new episode 4 images show Hal Jordan and Sinestro together?
No. Despite HBO’s episode description teasing a Hal-Sinestro confrontation, none of the released images show the two characters in the same frame.
How many people watched the Lanterns premiere?
9.3 million viewers globally in the first three days, including 6.6 million in the United States, per Variety and Deadline — the biggest series premiere in DC Studios’ HBO Max history.
Who stars in HBO’s Lanterns?
Kyle Chandler plays Hal Jordan, Aaron Pierre plays John Stewart, and Laura Linney plays a Guardian of the Universe.
