When Tom King compares Kyle Chandler to a young Harrison Ford, fans are thrilled and for a reason. Such glorification is an indication of an unusual blend of charisma, confidence, and dry humor. Consider the Han Solo-style swagger, but based in a superhero world.
What is even more interesting is the version of Hal Jordan that we will see in Lanterns. He is no glittering space hero, but a battered, old-school cop possessing swagger and style. Kyle Chandler introduces that “lovable scoundrel” energy with an added depth and realism. He does not simply play a Green Lantern, but a person who has experienced a lot in life and has managed to endure it all, remaining a strong character nonetheless.
Tom King in a recent interview with World Balloon said the following about Kyle:
“Kyle’s so good…he you know he’s got kind of a you know Kyle’s kind of a southern vibe and I always think of Hal as kind of a California guy being a California guy myself…but as soon he just occupied this character in a way I… just he fit it so perfectly…”
Kyle Chandler’s more grounded Hal Jordan
Various versions of Hal Jordan have been presented over time, yet the one by Kyle Chandler seems to be different. He carries with him a quiet assurance and grounded quality with a sense of reality. This Hal is not a glittering star, but a person who has experienced much, who knows himself, and is able to still manage to let out a quiet, confident smile.
It is no wonder that Tom King compares him to Harrison Ford. Tom King said in the same interview:
“Kyle just immediately got it and and occupied that and had that kind of just a cockiness but like an everyday cocky that kind of Harrison Ford cockiness, you know, like that movie star like that is just perfect.”
Similar to Ford’s Indiana Jones or Han Solo, Kyle Chandler balances a blend of dry humor, experience and emotional depth. His Hal is not cold but tough, not arrogant but full of confidence and a bit rebellious, which makes him surprisingly likable.
Thanks to this, Lanterns does not seem like an ordinary superhero series but a character-based one. It is about a hero, who has lived, learnt and still fights with his heart and a touch of smirk.
What this says about the future of DCU characters
Hal Jordan by Kyle Chandler is not just another typical superhero, this is how DC Studios wants us to view its heroes in the future. The Harrison Ford analogy is no mere compliment, it does not imply that these heroes are flawless and godlike. They are people, with weaknesses, practical experiences, and disposition.
This real-world approach coupled with the buddy-cop relationship between Hal Jordan and John Stewart makes Lanterns feel new. It is concerned more with character and personality than with powers and action. The older and more experienced Hal and a more serious and younger John Stewart form a good balance.
When King tells that Kyle Chandler fits so well, he is not referring to the process of casting Chandler. He is referring to the general tone: a combination of confidence, grit, and heart that characterizes the new type of the heroes in the DCU.
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Edited by Sarah Nazamuddin Harniswala