Which 1983 film inspired the portrayal of Hal Jordan in the DC series Lanterns?

The 1983 film The Right Stuff inspired the portrayal of Hal Jordan in the DC series Lanterns.

The connection comes through Sam Shepard’s performance as test pilot Chuck Yeager. The writers used that portrayal as a reference for Hal’s combination of experience, confidence, dry humor, and a seasoned pilot’s attitude toward danger.

In Lanterns, Hal is a former United States Air Force test pilot and a legendary member of the Green Lantern Corps. He is approaching retirement and is assigned to train John Stewart, creating the show’s central mentor-and-recruit dynamic.

The influence does not mean Lanterns adapts The Right Stuff or retells Yeager’s story. Instead, the film served as a performance and character reference for Kyle Chandler’s version of Hal. This helps explain why the series presents Jordan as an older, capable professional rather than as a newly recruited hero.