Everything We Know About Lanterns: The DCU’s Next Big Chapter After Peacemaker Season 2
With Peacemaker Season 2 having just wrapped up its explosive finale, the DC Universe is officially entering a new era. The next project in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s “Gods and Monsters” slate is Lanterns — the long-awaited Green Lantern series that marks the first DCU project not directly made by Gunn himself. But what do we know so far, and how pivotal could this upcoming show be for the future of this new cinematic universe?
How Lanterns Fits in the DCU?
Set to debut in early 2026, Lanterns shifts the current tone of irreverent antiheroes to a grounded cosmic mystery. In James Gunn’s words, the show will be “very grounded, very believable, and very real.”
It will be the fourth instalment of the DCU, and the third TV show as of yet. Releasing weekly on HBO Max (US)/Now TV (UK), there will be a total of eight episodes for its first season. It’s unknown if the show has plans for a second season, though.
While no explicit storyline has been revealed, the official synopsis for the show reads,
“The series follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.”
James Gunn has labelled it a “Detective-type mystery – that leads into the overall story... We find this ancient horror on Earth, and these guys are basically supercops on Precinct Earth.”
These quotes have left some worried that it could strip away the cosmic scope of the Green Lantern mythology. Still, Gunn insists this new approach is exactly what the franchise needs.
“This kind of Green Lantern story has never been done before,” he said, arguing that a more character-driven mystery could revive a property that hasn’t been done in live-action since the widely scrutinised Green Lantern film starring Ryan Reynolds over 14 years ago.
Cast
Regarding the main cast, many stars feature:
Aaron Pierre – John Stewart
Kyle Chandler – Hal Jordan
Nathan Fillion – Guy Gardner
Kelly Macdonald – Sheriff Kerry
Garret Dillahunt – William Macon
Poorna Jagannathan – Zoe
As for the supporting cast:
Jason Ritter – Billy Macon
Ulrich Thomsen – Sinestro
Nicole Ari Parker – Bernadette Stewart
Jasmine Cephas Jones – Young Bernadette
Sherman Augustus – John Stewart Sr.
J. Alphonse Nicholson – Young John Stewart Sr.
Paul Ben-Victor – Antaan
Lanterns is being developed by Chris Mundy (Ozark), Damon Lindelof (Watchmen), and Tom King, one of DC Comics’ top writers. The show is set to be directed by James Hawes (Slow Horses), with Gunn and Safran serving as executive producers.
Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardner) came out to say that he’s “dropped more f-bombs in [this] project than [his] entire career put together.”
Compared to Marvel’s cinematic universe, DC’s new era has embraced a bolder, more mature tone right from the start. The studio isn’t afraid to lean into adult themes, darker storytelling, and stronger language — a creative choice that feels like a breath of fresh air.
This approach gives the DCU freedom to experiment, mixing and matching between genres and age ratings without losing cohesion. It means each project can stand on its own stylistically — from the crude comedy of Peacemaker to the hope-filled and inspiring story of Superman — while still serving as part of a single, interconnected cinematic universe.
When to Expect the Trailer
So when can we expect to see a trailer? It’s likely a teaser or full trailer will be dropping in late 2025, likely between December and January, giving fans time to build buzz before the early-2026 premiere.
With filming wrapping months ago, the series should now be deep in editing and effects – meaning a trailer could appear as soon as production reaches the finish line for a release.
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