The third television series in James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe, "Lanterns," premiered Sunday, August 16, on HBO and HBO Max. The series, a creation of Chris Mundy, Tom King, and Damon Lindeloff, centers on two Green Lanterns who investigate a murder on Earth.
The show's plot follows the experienced Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, and new recruit John Stewart, portrayed by Aaron Pierre, as they delve into a terrestrial crime. DCU co-founder Peter Safran described "Lanterns" as a "huge HBO-quality event" during its initial slate presentation in 2023, drawing comparisons between its street-level murder-mystery narrative and the HBO series "True Detective."
![Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler in "Lanterns"]( "Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler in "Lanterns"" "Lanterns"" "Lanterns"
Ahead of its debut, "Lanterns" garnered a 90% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The series premiere was available at 9 p.m. ET on both the HBO cable channel and its streaming platform, HBO Max.
For viewers without traditional HBO, an HBO Max subscription is required. Subscriptions start at $10.99 per month with ads, while an ad-free option costs $18.49 per month. Bundles including HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu are also available, priced at $19.99 per month with ads and $32.99 per month without ads.
"Lanterns" is set to air eight episodes weekly at 9 p.m. ET. The release schedule is as follows: Episode 1 on August 16, Episode 2 on August 23, Episode 3 on August 30, Episode 4 on September 6, Episode 5 on September 13, Episode 6 on September 20, Episode 7 on September 27, and Episode 8 on October 4.
The main cast includes Nathan Fillion reprising his role as Guy Gardner from "Superman," alongside Chandler as Hal Jordan and Pierre as John Stewart. Kelly Macdonald co-stars as Kerry, a sheriff who becomes a love interest for Jordan. Recurring and guest roles are filled by Poorna Jagannathan, Nicole Ari Parker, Jason Ritter, Sherman Augustus, Paul Ben-Victor, Chris Coy, Laura Linney, and Paula Patton, among others. Thaal Sinestro is portrayed by Thomsen, and Garret Dillahunt plays William Macon.
The series' narrative spans both 2016 and 2026, placing it chronologically after the events of "Superman" and sharing the character of Guy Gardner with that film.