This DC Universe Theory Spells Bad News For Nathan Fillion's Green Lantern Future
One of the many potential future Justice League members in James Gunn's "Superman" trailer is Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), the first of the many Green Lanterns who are set to run around in the DC Universe. The man with the power ring and the bowl cut is also expected to appear in the 2026 DCU series "Lanterns," which will focus on Gardner's fellow Green Lanterns Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre). All in all, life is good for Fillion fans who are keen to see the "Firefly" and "The Rookie" star ply his trade as DC's angriest superhero, starting with his role in "Superman." Or is it?
Some DC fans suspect that the DCU incarnation of Gardner isn't long for this world. In fact, redditor u/LastCryptographer173 has suspected that the abrasive Green Lantern will be the centerpiece of "Lanterns" as a high-profile murder victim, writing:
"I'm still convinced the mystery Hal and John will investigate is the murder of Guy."
Lanterns needs a compelling crime, and Guy Gardner's death would provide one
The biggest clues about "Lanterns" come from James Gunn himself. During an appearance on Josh Horowitz's "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, Gunn had this to say about the series:
"They're terrestrial-bound. It's not in outer space. We don't have a thousand Green Lanterns or any of that stuff. It's a grounded story that's being told through another lens in a way that's really — it's an HBO series, and it's going to be an HBO series. I'm happy with that and I love the scripts."
The scripts in question come from folks like Damon Lindelof ("Watchmen," "Lost," "The Leftovers") and Chris Mundy ("Criminal Minds," "Ozark"), and since DC Studios has compared "Lanterns" to "True Detective," it certainly seems that the show will feature a massive crime for Jordan and Stewart to solve. Seeing as Guy Gardner is a major Green Lantern in the comics but the role he may play on "Lanterns" is kept under wraps, it doesn't seem all that unreasonable to theorize that he might be connected to said crime. Redditor u/jjeisy has given this some thought, too, and suggested that Fillion's age means he's unlikely to remain a major part of the DCU for too long. As such, their theory goes as follows:
"Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) gets killed by an unknown assailant. *Reasoning — I don't think Nathan Fillion is doing a multi movie deal. Also, he's 53, will be 55 by the time 'Lanterns' comes out; not sure if he'll be wanting to rock that bowl cut through then. Before his ring is taken, it flies off and finds John Stewart (Aaron Pierre). The attention of this assassination brings in Super Cop Green Lantern, Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) to train John Stewart while leading the case."
Nathan Fillion's DCU future is a mystery, but his Green Lantern pedigree can't be questioned
There is precedent for a Nathan Fillion character dying in a Gunn-adjacent project, as it happens. In "The Suicide Squad" (2021), the actor plays T.D.K., a team member with detachable arms who dies very early in the movie. Could Guy Gardner succumb under the weight of this history, thus providing the central mystery of "Lanterns?" It remains to be seen, but the idea is intriguing.
Even if this fan theory turns out to be correct and Gardner doesn't survive the "Lanterns" series, Fillion fans have no reason to be sad. After all, no matter what happens to Guy Gardner in the long run, the actor can already boast that he's somewhat cornered the Green Lantern market. This is because Fillion already has another Green Lantern role apart from Guy Gardner in "Superman" under his belt. In 2011, he did what Ryan Reynolds couldn't by giving fans a critically-acclaimed version of Hal Jordan. Granted, Fillion's Jordan is animated, but his "Green Lantern: Emerald Knights" nevertheless received far better reviews than Reynolds' live-action "Green Lantern" from the same year. Fillion went on to reprise the voice role in 2012's "Justice League: Doom."
"Superman" opens in theaters on July 11, 2025.