Way before Lanterns hit screens, there was another Green Lantern show in the works at HBO Max titled Emerald Knights. Now, the creator of the scrapped series has shared concept art, including a new look at the show's Guy Gardner.

Co-creator of the 2012 DC show Arrow, Marc Guggenheim, shared multiple concept pieces on his Substack. The first shows a team of Green Lanterns, including Guy Gardner, Kilowog, Sinestro, and more, fighting against an alien species in space. Guggenheim added that this was the concept for the first episode's opening sequence. The second image shows the design for a new female Lantern, whose appearance is based on actor and singer Janelle Monáe.

The third image gives us a closer look at Guy Gardner in his Green Lantern suit, who was set to be played by American Horror Story star Finn Wittrock. "We were going to alter it slightly to reflect his Justice League International look," added Guggenheim.

The show was set to follow a number of Green Lanterns across different timelines in 1941 and 1984. The '40s timeline would have followed Alan Scott, aka the Golden Age Green Lantern, operating as an FBI agent whilst keeping his sexuality a secret. Jeremy Irvine was cast as Scott. The '80s was focused on Guy and half-alien, half-human Lantern Bree Jarta. While Wittrock was cast as Guy, the team never found Bree's actor.

Emerald Knight was picked up for 10 episodes by HBO in 2020 before being trimmed to 8, and tapped Seth Grahame-Smith as showrunner, with Guggenheim on board as the writer. However, Grahame-Smith left the project in late 2022, and the show saw a rehaul. Then, James Gunn and Peter Safran were hired as DC Studios' co-CEOs, and in 2024, HBO moved forward with the new Green Lantern series, Lanterns.

Though Emerald Knights would have been much more space-set and cosmic than the newly released True Detective-style show, the two do share similarities. Not only was Emerald Knights supposed to take place over two timelines, like Lanterns, and include Sinestro, but Guggenheim reveals that Manhunters were also the "primary villains." It looks like Lanterns will follow the scrapped show's footsteps in the future too, as showrunner Chris Mundy has teased Kilowog's involvement in a potential Lanterns season 2.

Lanterns season 1 is streaming in full on HBO Max. For more, check out our Lanterns review and our Lanterns ending explained, and keep up with upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.

Lanterns co-creator and co-writer Tom King has revealed why the team chose to seemingly unpunish Hal Jordan's murderer, explaining that the reality is so much worse than going to jail.

Warning, the following contains major spoilers for Lanterns season 1 episode 8, so make sure you're all caught up before reading on.

In the Lanterns finale, we finally learn who shot and killed Hal Jordan. It turns out to be his girlfriend, Sheriff Kerry Kane. Yep, the same person who found Hal's body frozen on the bleachers and alerted John Stewart back in episode 1. But when John finds out the truth, instead of punishing Kerry or taking her to intergalactic jail, he lets her be.

"We had a big debate. It was like, 'Does Kerry Kane get punished?'" said King on The Ringer-Verse's House of R podcast. "Nothing could punish her more than the fact that she did that thing and she has to live with it. There's no, like, jail isn't worse than that."

John leaves Kerry to live with the fact that she has killed the person she loved. After finding out that Kerry's son Noah is a Manhunter, Hal asks Kerry to meet him at the football field, where he reveals what he knows. He asks Kerry to run away with him. But instead, she panics and shoots him in the head, seemingly out of fear that Hal would kill her son – which is what he would have done if he were following Corp guidelines.

John also lets Noah get away scot-free. As explained earlier in the season, Manhunters are incredibly dangerous extraterrestrials and have wiped out whole species. But even though he saw the destruction one Manhunter caused on a different planet, John chooses not to kill Noah, despite Noah asking him to do it. Instead, John wants Noah to make his own choices aside from what he is programmed to do. In a way, John sees a lot of himself in Noah. You can read more about that in our Lanterns ending explained.

It is not clear if we will ever see Hal again, in the flesh or as a hologram. However, the writers' room for Lanterns season 2 is already open despite HBO not yet renewing the DCU series for a second season. Next up for James Gunn's DCU Chapter One is Clayface followed by Man of Tomorrow, which welcomes back Aaron Pierre's Stewart.

Lanterns season 1 is streaming in full on HBO Max. For more, check out our Lanterns review, and keep up with upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.

Following that fiery Lanterns season finale, HBO has yet to renew the record-breaking DCU show for a second season, but that isn't stopping showrunner and writer Chirs Mundy from teasing where Lanterns season 2 could take us.

"We won't be back in Rushville unless something crazy happens in Rushville every 10 years. But it's going to be an Earth-based story that we continue most likely," said Mundy on The Ringer-Verse's The Midnight Boys (around the 1 hour 45 minute mark).

However, with Hal Jordan now seemingly gone for good, fans are wondering who else could join Aaron Pierre's John Stewart on his next adventure. When asked which other Green Lanterns could appear, Mundy said, "Vanessa [Baden Kelly]'s been talking a big Kilowog game for a long time. We've tossed out a lot of different things." Baden Kelly serves as a producer and writer on the show and penned the fan-favorite Lanterns episode 3, 'Outkast'.

First introduced in DC Comics in 1986, Kilowog is the Green Lantern overseeing Sector 674, from the planet Bolovax Vik. The bulky, pink-skinned alien is part of the Lantern Corps, mostly in charge of recruiting and training new members, and is good friends with Stewart in the comics. Mundy didn't confirm Kilowog's involvement in season 2, but it wouldn't be the first time that the show has introduced Lanterns from other planets, as we have already met Sinestro.

But no matter how many Lanterns we meet, Mundy says the story will remain "Earth-based." The writer added, "We've shown that you can leave the planet, so that's good, right? But because of that, we want to make whoever's here as sort of grounded and real as possible. Our idea was just to ground everything and then layer on the other layers. It's like, 'Okay, are you with us? Great. We're going to layer a little bit more in.'"

Though HBO has yet to officially announce Lanterns season 2, Mundy and his team of writers have already started working on new stories. Next up for James Gunn's DCU Chapter One is the DCU's first horror movie Clayface followed by Man of Tomorrow, which will see John Stewart team up with Superman and co.

Lanterns season 1 is streaming in full on HBO Max. For more, check out our Lanterns ending explained, and keep up with upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.

Lanterns co-creators were aware that changing the Green Lantern oath is "heresy" so they approached John Stewart's version "like a remix."

In the Lanterns season 1 ending, John – now an 'independent contractor' instead of a member of the Lantern Corps – puts his own twist on the iconic words: "In brightest day, in darkest night, I embrace my fear, I’ll do what’s right. I choose this ring, I choose this fight – in service to this lantern’s light."

But why the change? With apparently "all" of the writers' room contributing to the tweaks, there was a real awareness of not playing with established lore too much.

"This is one of those moments where you're holding your hand close to the flame of canon," co-creator Damon Lindelof said on Lanterns: The Official Podcast. "It is heresy to fuck with the oath… [But] once we put John on the journey that he's on, the only way he can authentically take the ring is to do it on his own terms. Part of that is saying that there are parts of the original oath that feel good to him, but there are other parts he has to claim for himself."

"We approached it like a remix," showrunner Chris Mundy added. "We're not changing it, we're just remixing the original. It has the same feel."

We will next hear John Stewart recite the oath in Man of Tomorrow, the Superman sequel set for release as part of DCU Chapter One next July.

On making the step into the blockbuster space with his Lanterns character, John Stewart actor Aaron Pierre told GamesRadar+, "For me, what was an enormous gift was having those eight hours of HBO [television] to live with before going onto Man of Tomorrow."

Pierre added, "I was on the phone to Chris Mundy. He was like, 'Congratulations, man. You filmed for 106 days out of 112.' Just on that note, to have 106 days with a character before going on in the DC cinematic universe is a gift. That is not a given. I am very grateful I had that.

"That's just the way it worked out. I don't know how intentional it was or wasn't, but I'm forever grateful for that. It allowed me to step onto the Man of Tomorrow set with a deep understanding of who my man John is."

For more on how Lanterns signed off, read our breakdown of the Lanterns season 1 ending. Then discover what's been said about Lanterns season 2.

Lanterns has come to an end with an emotional season finale where we finally learned who killed Hal Jordan. But despite many hoping that Kyle Chandler's Green Lantern would escape his fate, in post-finale interviews, the DCU show's co-creators have made it clear that Hal being alive and well come the final credits was never on the table.

When asked by Collider if Hal could return from the dead in a potential Lanterns season 2, co-creator and writer Damon Lindelof was reticent to speculate, but did confirm, in no uncertain terms, that they never considered ending the season with Hal alive after revealing he was murdered way back in episode 1.

"Even though we knew that it was going to be emotionally devastating and/or disappointing and maybe even frustrating, [we knew] that the worst possible schmuck-baity thing that we could do is show you a pilot where Hal Jordan was definitively dead, and then try to walk it back and say, 'Oh, he was a clone' or 'He's only mostly dead' in the Princess Bride vernacular."

That's pretty definitive, and is something showrunner Chris Mundy echoed in a separate interview with Brandon Davis, saying: "It's absolutely the end of the season and the end of [John and Hal’s] relationship. I think our intent was always just that, to close that off emotionally. That's the best way to say it. I know there's people that love the idea of Hal going forward but… I would never say never to anything, but it's also like that closed the book on our story for this season."

So, no, despite everyone on god's green Earth hoping that Kyle Chandler's Hal would somehow turn out to be alive and well by the end of the season, it seems that was never on the cards. However, both Mundy and Lindelof left the door ever so slightly ajar on the idea that Hal could return in future seasons, with Lindelof concluding, "Where there's a will, there's a way." It's an ember of hope, at least...

Alongside the reveal of Hal's murderer, the Lanterns season 1 finale confirmed a heavily rumored theory: that Kerry's son, Noah, was a secret Manhunter all along. It also saw John come into possession of a fear-infused lantern crafted by Sinestro. For a full breakdown, be sure to check out our Lanterns ending explained.

Lanterns is streaming now on HBO Max, and on NOW in the UK. For more, head over to our guides on both DCU Chapter One and upcoming DC movies.

Lanterns has come to a dramatic end on HBO Max, finally resolving the mystery around Hal Jordan's death. In an exciting finale, we finally got some closure on what happened in Rushville as well as a bit of a tease for what's to come next in Man of Tomorrow. However, while the final episode drew this story to a close, many will be wondering if this is the end of the road for the DCU show.

Well, it seems like there is some hope on the horizon. We get into all the details revealed about that from James Gunn and the show's creators below. We've also got the speculative lowdown on when a new season could come and what it could cover.

Here's your spoiler warning, though: we'll be getting into plot details from the final episode below. So make sure you're up to speed before reading on.

Will there be a Lanterns season 2?

Well, first of all, it's worth pointing out that Lanterns season 2 has not been officially announced yet. But despite closing the loop on Hal Jordan's murder, there are still plenty of loose threads left dangling in episode 8, leaving plenty of room for more. And we already know that John Stewart will return in Man of Tomorrow.

There's also been a lot of talk about a potential second season. Speaking at the start of the show's release, co-showrunner Chris Mundy said they had ideas for more. "The question is whether [season two] is a story people are interested in," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "If that's the case, then we’ll get to do another one. We'll tell it in a slightly different way, so that it feels fresh, with characters you know and care about."

At the time, in late August, he said of their plans: "We're about six weeks into laying out a season, and then we'll talk to folks about it really soon." Now, we don't know exactly how that pitch went, as there has been no confirmation yet about a second season. However, it certainly seems there are some plans in motion.

As well as this, James Gunn recently gave us a little tease that has fired up hopes. Replying to a viewer on Threads, he confirmed that episode 8 is the "season finale" rather than the "series finale". It's a small difference, but one that definitely leaves the door open for more.

Lanterns has been a critical hit for HBO, and has pulled in some 19 million viewers per episode on average, making it one of the network's most successful shows ever. So it would be surprising at this stage if season 2 didn't go ahead. However, there is a precedent for Lanterns being a one-off: The Penguin was a similarly successful DC show on HBO, and despite early hope it would return for season 2, that no longer seems like it will be the case. At the very least, we know John Stewart will return in Man of Tomorrow.

What could happen in Lanterns season 2?

Well, this is the big question. The story in Rushville was tied up in the first season of Lanterns, as were the circumstances around Hal Jordan's death. This all means that a second season of the show would look very different, and likely be missing one of its two main stars.

When John Stewart powers up Hal's old ring with his 'unsanctioned' lantern, he overwrites the Halogram, effectively killing the last remaining remnant of Hal.

However, there are some options open to the creators. One potential avenue is to approach Lanterns like an anthology show. After all, there are a whole lot more Green Lanterns who could be featured in another season to draw from.

Another option could be to focus more on John Stewart's character. This direction will likely depend on what happens in Man of Tomorrow, which is the next place that he'll be popping up. We'll have to wait and see on that one.

There's also the possibility of Sinestro bringing Hal back from the dead, potentially as Parallax – a possibility that the show leaves the door open for. And Noah's future is a huge unanswered question. As Hal himself says, there could be a Manhunter sitting in the White House one day if John doesn't do something about it. This would need to be addressed in subsequent seasons or other DCU projects.

Whatever they decide to do, given the strength of season 1, we've got total faith in the helmers of this slice of the DC universe.

When will Lanterns season 2 come out? Speculation over a potential release date

Given that it has not yet even been announced, it's pretty hard to have a go at working out when Lanterns season 2 could happen. It does sound like the creators are a good way into mapping out their plans for more episodes, but it will all depend on whether it gets greenlit.

Work began in early 2024 on the first season before filming took place in early 2025. The show arrived a year and a half after that in August 2026. If we get any filming updates, this will give us more of an idea when a second season could slot in.

Lanterns is available to stream on HBO Max now. For more, check out our guide to upcoming DC movies and shows on the way, including Clayface, which hits theaters next.

Lanterns is set to bring its season to a close this Sunday, but DC boss James Gunn seemingly isn't ruling out a second season.

"I've seen Lanterns 500 times and even I'm excited for next week's finale," the DC Studios co-CEO wrote on Threads.

When a fan asked for clarification on whether it was a series finale or season finale, Gunn followed up: "Season finale, correct."

The first season of Lanterns has followed Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart as they investigated a mystery of cosmic proportions in the sleepy town of Rushville, Nebraska.

But at its (crystalized) heart is another mystery: who killed Hal Jordan? As of episode 7, we're still none the wiser – but it's good to know that bumping off one half of the Lantern duo hasn't harmed our chances of a second season. It's worth remembering, too, that Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) is still waiting in the wings, bowl cut and all.

Lanterns co-creator/showrunner Chris Mundy has also addressed the chances of a second season. While there's no official green light for the project, pre-production work is well underway for a follow up.

Mundy told The Hollywood Reporter, "The question is whether [season two] is a story people are interested in. "If that's the case, then we'll get to do another one. We'll tell it in a slightly different way, so that it feels fresh, with characters you know and care about."

Mundy added, "We're about six weeks into laying out a season, and then we'll talk to folks about it really soon."

Lanterns is airing weekly on HBO and HBO Max. For news about the finale, check out the Lanterns release schedule.

If you need to know more about the DCU-at-large, we have guides on both DCU Chapter One and upcoming DC movies.

The Lanterns finale trailer is here – and it appears to be paving the way for John Stewart to be the DCU's Green Lantern.

The trailer, which you can see below, sets up next Sunday's episode in decidedly cryptic fashion, but focuses first and foremost on John Stewart coming face to face with disgraced former Lantern Sinestro on an alien planet.

"The Lantern Corps thinks that fear makes you weak," Sinestro begins. "They couldn't be more wrong."

Those with even a passing knowledge of Lantern lore will know that Sinestro became a Yellow Lantern after wielding a Power Ring that tapped into the power of fear. Worse still, that energy – an entity known as Parallax – would later take over Hal Jordan's body, causing untold destruction and death across the galaxy.

Are we looking at the first steps towards DCU Chapter One's Big Bad right here? Sinestro's next line certainly suggests so: "Fear can be the most powerful force in the universe."

Then there's the small matter of uncovering who killed Hal Jordan. Mercifully, the Lanterns finale trailer has gone light on the spoilers, only sprinkling in a few shots from the upcoming episode. But it does seem like the mystery will be solved come Sunday night – but what it means for the Green Lanterns after that is anyone's guess.

Whatever comes next, Lanterns season 2 appears to be happening.

"The question is whether [season 2] is a story people are interested in," showrunner Chris Mundy told The Hollywood Reporter, adding that he's several weeks into mapping out the next season.

"If that's the case, then we’ll get to do another one. We'll tell it in a slightly different way, so that it feels fresh, with characters you know and care about."

Aaron Pierre's John Stewart will also appear in Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow. On shifting from television to film for the first time in the role, Pierre told GamesRadar+, "For me, what was an enormous gift was having those eight hours of HBO [television] to live with before going onto Man of Tomorrow."

"I was on the phone to [showrunner] Chris Mundy the other day. He was like, 'Congratulations, man. You filmed for 106 days out of 112.' Just on that note, to have 106 days with a character before going on in the DC cinematic universe is a gift. That is not a given. I am very grateful I had that. That's just the way it worked out. I don't know how intentional it was or wasn't, but I'm forever grateful for that. It allowed me to step onto the Man of Tomorrow set with a deep understanding of who my man John is."

Lanterns is currently airing weekly on HBO Max.

For more, check out the upcoming DC movies currently in the works, as well as all the latest on Clayface.

Comic backstories are usually in a state of flux, with pieces of history picked up and deployed at a writer's whim to suit whatever story they're trying to tell.

But there are (usually) hard and fast rules: Superman landed in Kansas, Bruce Wayne watched his parents die in Crime Alley, and Hal Jordan watched his father die in a test flight.

While Lanterns keeps the latter intact, it offers up a key tweak that not only reframes the character – but the entirety of Kyle Chandler's excellent performance so far.

Spoilers for Lanterns episode 7 follow.

In the penultimate episode of Lanterns' first season, we – and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart – discover the 'Jordan Boys' Legacy'.

Far from being a DC MacGuffin or interstellar trinket, it is, in fact, evidence of generational trauma passed down from one Jordan male to another. Hal's father actually wanted to die on that test flight, while Hal has been struggling with his own mental health issues ever since.

In one moment, the Halogram – Hal's AI backup – neatly summarizes it: "I'm not fearless because I'm brave; I'm fearless because I'm broken."

When discussing the change with The Wrap, showrunner Chris Mundy and co-creator Damon Lindelof were acutely aware of not wanting to mess with established comic history too much.

"When you're playing around with the canon, you have to treat it like you're handling plutonium," Lindelof said. "But at the same time, there's kind of no fun and creativity and originality in that, so you simultaneously sort of have to start to kind of iterate."

Of the reasoning behind the change, Munday stated, "It's more to build into the character. It's more history. It's more darkness. It's more pathology of the character."

Of course, that puts the mystery of who killed Hal Jordan into even sharper focus. The finale will hopefully provide some answers, even if the spectre of the Jordan Boys' Legacy looms large.

Lanterns is airing on HBO and HBO Max in the US and NOW TV and HBO Max in the UK.

For more, check out the Lanterns release schedule and our guide to DCU Chapter One and upcoming DC movies.

After The People Vs. Gorilla Grodd star Skyler Gisondo claimed last week that the upcoming DCU true-crime mockumentary takes place before the events of Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, DCU boss James Gunn has taken to social media to clarify its place on the DCU timeline.

Responding to a report on Threads, Gunn said: "Overall in continuity, it's after MoT (and won't come out until then)." This certainly makes sense as, for the most part, the DCU is unfolding in chronological order as each new project releases; though, notably, Clayface is set to take place before the events of Superman.

However, there is one small wrinkle that Gunn notes when it comes to The People Vs. Gorilla Grodd: "I mean it's a true crime series, so it jumps all over the place." Expect the show to jump around in time, in other words, which could mean we learn a lot about the state of the DCU over the years. In all likelihood, this helps explain the many Gorilla Grodd leaks that have popped up online in recent weeks, which show Gorilla Grodd attending college (and singing acapella).

The People Vs. Gorilla Grodd is one of the more unusual projects on the DCU Chapter One slate. Starring Gisondo's Jimmy Olsen, it'll see the Daily Planet journalist and rizzed-up ladies' man investigating the 2021 conviction of Gorilla Grodd, who was sentenced to a stint in Stryker's Island Penitentiary after murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City.

Created by Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda – the brains behind hilarious Netflix true-crime mockumentary series American Vandal – The People Vs. also stars Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd. Tatro previously appeared as the accused in the first season of American Vandal, and most recently popped up during Scream 7's bloody pre-title sequence.

Speaking to GamesRadar+, Gisondo discussed his appearance in buzzy A24 drama Primetime, starring Robert Pattinson, and the process of returning to play Jimmy Olsen soon after. "It's quite a change-up," Gisondo said. "I actually went straight from – not straight, [after Primetime] the next thing was Focker-in-Law... which is just, tonally, a very different movie.

"Now being back doing Jimmy Olsen, and [The People v. Gorilla Grodd] is like a mockumentary, true crime thing, so it's very Lance [Oppenheim]-adjacent, and it is funny." Rob said something in one of our interviews where, in The Odyssey, he hears a little bit of Chris Hansen's voice sometimes, and you're like, 'Oh right, [...] I gotta shake that off...'

The People vs. Gorilla Grodd will release after Man of Tomorrow. To find out more about what's going on with the future plans for the studio, check out our guide to upcoming DC movies and TV shows.

James Gunn is standing by the decision to kill off Hal Jordan at the beginning of Lanterns. The character, played by Kyle Chandler in the HBO show, was found dead during a 2026 flash-forward at the end of episode one, appearing in 2016 flashbacks from that point onwards.

One fan took to social media to complain about this decision, calling it the "worst thing" the DCU has done so far. "Maybe you should try and at least respect the characters that made the comics popular. Killing Hal off right away after we have waited 15 years to see him on screen again was the worst thing you could have done," they wrote on Threads to the DC Studios head.

Gunn replied to the criticism, doubling down on the approach they took in the Lanterns show. "Hal's the star of TV series & he's in all the episodes so far," he wrote on Threads. "It's more live action screen time than all the live action screen time he's had combined throughout history. Kyle is amazing in the role. We more than respect him. We love him, despite his imperfections."

He went on to explain that their approach is not as simple as the fan was implying. "Us knowing the time of his death, if that's exactly what that is, is absolutely not the same thing as killing him off right away," he continued. "Hal is a big reason why the show is so popular with fans & non-fans alike; sorry if you don't like it."

It's a fair point. Hal has actually had more screen time than Superman so far, meaning that he's a huge part of the DCU. While it will likely mean he won't appear beyond Lanterns, unlike his co-star Aaron Pierre, who is reprising John Stewart in Man of Tomorrow, he is undeniably a big part of the universe on screen so far.

There is also still a question hanging over Hal's death, as Gunn hints at here when he says "if that's exactly what it is". Ever since the first episode, fans have been wondering whether Hal is actually dead or whether his body is actually a Manhunter in disguise. However, episode 6 did seemingly narrow down the potential suspects, leaving me to wonder if he is actually gone after all.

For more, check out our Lanterns review and our Lanterns release schedule guide. We've also got a breakdown of all the other new DCU movies and shows you need to know about.

Lanterns showrunner Chris Mundy says it was fairly easy to include that nod to the DCU's Batman in episode 6.

"There were shockingly fewer conversations than you would think," Mundy tells GamesRadar+. "It was in [the episode] right before it. John talks about some giant squid in Metropolis. And Kerry is from Gotham, which gets name-checked in episode 2. We wanted to make sure that we were name-checking the world, just because there is a greater world out there, that we wanted to say it was a real thing for our characters, and we didn't wanna make a big deal about it, in a strange way."

In Lanterns episode 6, John and Hal meet up in 2026. At the diner, Hal complains about Guy Gardner, the present-day Green Lantern, and tells John that Guy "ripped off that Bat-guy from Gotham. Put a beacon right in the middle of the fucking town here, so people can summon him."

This isn't the first mention of the DCU's Batman, as he has a brief, non-speaking animated cameo in Creature Commandos (which is canon to the DCU), but it is the first live-action mention. As of right now, a Batman hasn't been cast (though some fans are hoping it's Reacher star Alan Ritchson). Robert Pattinson's Batman exists as part of the Elseworlds universe, meaning it's a DC property but isn't part of the actual DCU.

Lanterns is airing weekly on HBO and HBO Max. For more, check out our breakdown of how to watch DC movies in order, and keep up with upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.

Following his long-awaited Lanterns episode, Guy Gardner actor Nathan Fillion has admitted that he was initially concerned about appearing in the new HBO show due to how different it is from Gardner's introduction to the DCU.

"My concern was consistency," said Fillion to Variety. "I knew there was going to be a shift in tone. What I didn’t want was for there to be a shift in the character himself." Fillion added that he was surprised he was even asked to make a cameo.

Fillion made his DCU: Chapter One debut as Guy in the much lighter 2025 movie Superman. However, the star found a way for Guy to fit into the gritty True Detective-style series. "I just likened it much to, if you were to spend a weekend in Metropolis, or spend a weekend in Gotham — you’d be the same person, but you’d have very different weekends," added Fillion.

After being absent for the first five episodes, Guy finally touches down in Rushville in episode 6. But before we saw the hero in the flesh, Fillion was able to hold onto the more comedic side of his bowl-cut-having character, as the first look came from a commercial cardboard cut-out in a grocery store. "That’s part of his schtick. He wants to not just be Green Lantern, but a famous Green Lantern," said Fillion.

Guy finally shows up after spotting the distress signal from Rushville. There, he visits Aaron Pierre's jailed John Stewart and frees him. Thanks to Superman being set around 9 years after Lantern's main 2016 timeline, we already knew that Gardner would eventually become the Green Lantern. However, it is confirmed that Guy took on the mantle after Stewart turned his back on the ring for good.

However, Guy Gardner's worlds will collide even further when he has to share the big screen with another Lantern in 2027 movie Man of Tomorrow. Pierre's John Stewart is set to appear in the Superman sequel alongside David Corenswet's Superman, Milly Alcock's Supergirl, and of course, Fillion's Guy Gardner. Adria Arjona will also join in on the fun in a mystery role, but we are almost certain she is playing Wonder Woman.

Lanterns continues to release weekly on HBO and HBO Max. For more, check out our breakdown of how to watch DC movies in order, and keep up with upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.

Superman standout Skyler Gisondo will soon return as Jimmy Olsen in a new show, billed as a true crime documentary set in the DC universe.

That already sounds like something brand new, but Jimmy Olsen actor Gisondo has further teased how unique the show – from Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault – is shaping up to be.

"This show, especially, is so fun because I've never seen anything like it – the idea of a mockumentary set in a superhero world. Tony [Yacenda] and Dan [Perrault] are such masters," Gisondo told Collider. "I was such an enormous fan of American Vandal, and so to be working with these guys whose work I love, I think this show is going to be a very unique angle on all of this stuff, and very unexpected in some way, and we’re having a blast.

"Similarly to the way [Primetime director] Lance [Oppenheim] works, because it's this true-crime mockumentary thing," he continued. "It's a lot of verité stuff. It always feels very alive. We're filming courthouse sequences where it's just the CCTV cams, so it feels like a play. We're just running through. So it's been really fun. We're only a little ways into it, so hopefully it turns out alright."

The first season will focus on Gorilla Grodd, and he's already stolen hearts thanks to set photos that hit the internet of the ape at college.

The People v. Gorilla Grodd doesn't yet have a release date. Next up for DC is Clayface, while Lanterns is releasing weekly now.

You can keep up to date with everything else on the way with our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows.

The trend of mad-capped cameos and character reveals in The Big Bang Theory spin-off Stuart Fails to Save the Universe continued this week when the gang found themselves in the DC Universe and were saved from Mr. Freeze by Jay Garrick, aka The Flash. It's a wonderfully world-breaking moment, but one that could've been considerably different with an added Green Lantern glow, if only they'd got the go-ahead.

Speaking to Deadline about their latest episode aptly titled 'We Couldn't Get The Green Lantern,' the show's co-creator, Zak Penn, recalled that when it came to making the request for a member of the Green Lantern Corps to drop in and save the day, he, along with creative colleagues Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, got the answer they feared.

"They told us we couldn’t have him because of Lanterns, which I understood," he explained. From there, they had to pick another hero from the DC Universe, and the idea came in a flash.

''Chuck was a little grumbly about it, but Bill and I pointed out to him that Flash was actually perfect. If we needed something that's going from dimension to dimension, Flash worked even better than Green Lantern." Nailing this inclusion down, along with Mr. Freeze, was handled so well after the folks at DC Comics, including artist, writer, and CCO Jim Lee, gave notes on how to handle Garrick and this mismatched foe of Batman (which the episode jokes about).

"They were great," Penn assured. "They basically said, 'How can we help? Other than we won't give you Green Lantern.'" After hitting the mark so well with a pair of brilliant DC heroes and villains this time around, there's no telling who might appear in the second season, which has now been (ahem) greenlit. There are plenty of other Lanterns to use, after all.

If you're in the dark about what new DC movies and shows are on the way, check out our guide.

When Man of Tomorrow arrives in theaters next year, it'll bring with it (presumably) fully fledged Green Lantern John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), fresh off the show Lanterns. He won't be the only character getting his own show making an appearance, though, as Superman's best friend, Jimmy Olsen, will also have one, even if it has Gorilla Grodd's name on it and not his.

The People v. Gorilla Grodd is an upcoming show set for release on HBO Max and will be shot like a true-crime docuseries, hosted by Daily Planet reporter Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo). Naturally, with the DC Universe on such a busy schedule, fans have been wondering where in the timeline it'll take place, and thankfully Gisondo has cleared things up. Kind of.

"I think it’s somewhere before the events of the movies [Superman and Man of Tomorrow]," the actor theorized to Screen Rant before seemingly correcting himself. "I think it's sort of somewhere in between the two. I don't know, I should probably know the answer. I think the idea is it's kind of like, almost adjacent to this main timeline but before the events of the second movie." So no scenes of him rushing off to interview a talking gorilla in Man of Tomorrow, then? Got it.

By the sounds of things, that seems like a good route to take. The People vs. Gorilla Grodd feels like perhaps one of the wildest live-action entries in the DCU, with Olsen and a team of journalists trying to review Grodd’s prison sentencing after being charged with his father’s murder in Gorilla City. Was he innocent, or was the super-intelligent fella just being a really bad ape, after all?

Joining Gisondo will be Jimmy Tatro, who will play Grodd, along with some Daily Planet familiars. Beck Bennet will star as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover is Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce will be back as the scene-chewing star and editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet, Perry White.

There's no confirmed release date set for the show just yet, mind. It's currently filming though while Man of Tomorrow has wrapped. So even if it does take place before, our money is that it will release after. To find out more about what's going on with the future plans for the studio, check out our guide to upcoming DC movies and TV shows.

Lanterns fans might've spotted something in the subtitles of last week's episode that gives away a massive bit of info regarding Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and his status after the attack on Rushville. In episode 5 – 'Lights Out' –John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) returns to an injured Hal buried under rubble, where the replacement finally takes the ring from his mentor. However, what was already an emotional chat between the two might've held some interesting secrets, given that the Spanish subtitles refer to Hal as “Clone de Hal," which literally means "Hal Clone."

From there, theories have emerged that the Hal John is speaking to isn't the real Green Lantern, but a Halogram created from the ring. The last time we saw one was when Hal chipped off a bit of the ring, seemingly activating the projection of his younger self, and sending him off to do recon. We don't see him again after that.

Keeping this in mind, is there a chance that somehow Hal had created a more recent projection of himself (he's definitely aged and wearing the same clothes) in order to somehow get away, leaving one behind to have the chat with John. If that's the case, though, what plans might Hal have in place, and could they include faking his death, which we know isn't too far away?

With three episodes left (as teased by the mid-season trailer yesterday), we might find out whether this theory has any weight, or if it was just a subtitle error from whoever was writing them that day. For every other upcoming DC movies and shows in development, check out our guide.

A new mid-season trailer for Lanterns has arrived online, hyping up the final three episodes of the critically acclaimed series that we’re pretty positive isn’t going to end on a bright note. For one, the closer we get to the end, the closer we are to Hal Jordan's demise, which is a real pity given how exceptional a job Kyle Chandler has done with the character.

Following the events of episode 5 – “Lights Out” – the show jumps forward ten years, when John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) returns to Rushville after leaving it in ruins and to his former mentor, who is clearly still sore about being replaced. Sometime after this incredibly tense reunion, Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) will finally make an appearance, and we might hopefully learn just how Earth’s newest Green Lantern and former “Athletic Director” ended up with the ring after John turned it down.

It’s also worth noting that even though Hal might be dead, someone who has an incredibly similar build looks to be accompanying John on his journey across what looks like a dead wasteland. Could the Hal-ogram be back in action, and once again give us a rarely seen chipper Hal from his younger years? Honestly, at this point, whatever gives us more of Chandler playing the greatest Green Lantern to ever live, the better.

From there, we get glimpses of John seemingly going off-world and crossing paths with the teacher who taught his teacher, Thaal Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen), plus one shot that will no doubt get GLC fans in a tizzy. For the briefest of moments, we see what looks like an abandoned machine with a very yellow tint. Could this all have been leading to Sinestro getting to work on a yellow ring, or indeed his own corps, just like in the comics? Or could something even worse be on the horizon, and John, who has spent years being fearless, be about to use fear as a weapon? Like Sinestro says, “fear can be the most powerful force in the universe.”

The next episode of Lanterns arrives on HBO Max and NOW TV on Sunday, but be sure to stay updated on every other upcoming DC movie and show, courtesy of our nifty guide.

Lanterns episode 5 finally confirmed the identity of the Manhunter hiding out in Rushville. But given there are still three episodes to go, fans aren't convinced that the Manhunter threat is over.

Warning: full spoilers for Lanterns episode 5 follow!

After all but confirming it last week, Lanterns episode 5 makes it clear as a crystal heart that Zoe Macon is the mysterious Manhunter who's been pulling the strings from behind the scenes in Rushville. By the end of the episode, however, the Manhunter is dead, after John Stewart shoots the shapeshifter in the head and removes its heart.

Mission accomplished, right? Not exactly. Episode 5 features several clues that could point to the existence of a second Manhunter, created by Zoe during her time on Earth. And fans think the second Manhunter in question is none other than Zoe's grandson, Noah.

Noah is, of course, Sheriff Kerry's son and has been a conspicuous presence since the first episode, where we learn he's still around and playing college football during the 2026 flash-forward. In episode 5, it's shown that the Manhunter saved Kerry from Gotham gangsters who pursued her to Rushville. Kerry later confesses to Hal Jordan that she's known the identity of the Manhunter all along, revealing that Zoe gave her a "miracle." Now, this could simply mean that Zoe saved Kerry's life by helping fake her death and keeping the gangsters off her back, but children born following difficulties to conceive are often referred to as "miracles," which has led some to believe that Zoe gave Kerry and Billy their son, Noah.

This is further backed up by the Manhunter's advanced alien technology, with which she's able to cure cancer, generate an entirely new layer of skin for John Stewart after he's burned alive, and seemingly eradicate all illness from Rushville (it certainly explains why the hospital is empty). The idea that Zoe could create a new lifeform, potentially even another Manhunter, is well within the realm of possibility.

Taken to its logical extreme, this could mean that Noah is responsible for Hal Jordan's death in 2026. If Hal were to learn that Noah is a Manhunter, that would give him reason to return to Rushville. Given his fondness for Sheriff Kerry, there's no doubt he'd hesitate when it comes to Noah, even if he is a Manhunter, which could be what ultimately costs him his life.

Of course, this is all wild theorizing for now, but it's speculation we can get behind as Lanterns heads into uncharted territory following an explosive fifth episode that felt more like a season finale than a mid-season chapter. With only three episodes left to go, there's not long till the truth is revealed.

Lanterns releases on HBO Max in the US and UK, and on Sky/NOW in the UK. Read our Lanterns release schedule guide so you don't miss a moment, as well as our Lanterns review for why you should be watching the show.

DCU show Lanterns returned to HBO this week with its fourth episode, bringing us back to Rushville, where the mystery of the Manhunter was brought to light. However, in the midst of the chaos, you may have missed Aaron Pierre's accent slip-up.

During a tense interrogation scene, Pierre's John Stewart asks, "Who are you?" slamming his hand on the table, then, in the most prominent South London accent, he shouts, "Speak up!" The clip has since gone viral on Twitter. Pierre had so far been able to keep Stewart's Detroit accent steady, but fans seem to be celebrating the added hint of English nonetheless.

Although the slip-up may be a little embarrassing for Pierre, HBO Max UK is seeing the funny side of the situation. The streamer posted a 'fan edit' of Pierre on Instagram containing the scene in question followed by Stewart's most iconic moments. The caption reads, "You can take Aaron Pierre out of Croydon, but you can't take the Croydon out of Aaron Pierre." Check out the post below.

It should come as no surprise that fans are loving the edit. "The Green Mandem'" commented one fan, and another added, "Brightest day, darkest night innit." Many are praising how HBO has handled the slip-up, with one pointing out, "You have to admit it's next level marketing for a streaming company to make memes of a flaw in the actor's performance rather than hoping people ignore said flaw."

The slip-up doesn't change the fact that Pierre has done an amazing job in bringing Green Lantern trainee Stewart to life alongside Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan. The DCU Chapter One show debuted to a near-perfect 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and has become one of HBO's most successful shows ever behind House of the Dragon and The Last of Us. In our Lanterns review, we awarded the show 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Lanterns continues to release weekly. See our Lanterns release schedule for exact timings. For more, check out our breakdown of how to watch DC movies in order, and keep up with upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.

The People Vs. Gorilla Grodd, a mockumentary based on the DC comic of the same name, has begun filming and set leaks are abound. Some DC fans, however, aren't convinced that the gorilla we've seen in the photos is the titular gorilla on trial.

There have been many leaked set photos, from a gorilla in some '80s-style garb to that same gorilla in a graduation gown to even dancing in a tuxedo. Reactions to the first look at the film have been mixed, to say the least, but one fan posited a theory that the costumed gorilla may be the DC character King Solomon instead.

The fan pointed out that King Solomon frequently wore clothes, something that Grodd does not do in the comics, and that James Gunn has already mentioned the specific comic starring King Solomon on social media, going so far as to call it a direct influence on Superman and DC overall. The on-set gorilla also appears to be wearing the exact same outfit King Solomon wore in the comics.

"I think they're two random Gorillas who know Grodd, and were called to participate in the documentary, talking about him," another fan posited.

"I think either Grodd hired Solomon to fill in for him in public or Solomon is a symbol of gorillas coming into society," said another.

In my opinion, it's highly likely that modern day audiences don't want to see a naked gorilla on screen and that putting Grodd in regular clothes humanizes him just a bit... but only time will tell.

The People v Gorilla Grodd does not yet have a release date. For more of what's on the way, check out our guide to upcoming DC movies and shows.

Upcoming DC mockumentary The People Vs. Gorilla Grodd has started filming, and the set leaks have been coming thick and fast. The biggest reveal so far has been the first look at the DCU's take on villain Gorilla Grodd, who has been spotted doing everything from singing in an acapella group to dancing in a tuxedo.

Several students at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, where the show is being filmed, have been sharing videos from the first day of filming. These feature the notorious gorilla during his college years in the '80s. Right now, he looks pretty realistic as simply an anthropomorphic gorilla, but it's not clear if this will just be a stand-in for a CGI character or not.

DC fans have been reacting to the first look, and it's fair to say that no one knows quite how to feel about it. Some have been pleasantly surprised by the comedic tone that the new show looks like it's going to have, while others have been wondering how closely it will stick to the comics.

"This might end up being the best superhero movie or show ever released, not even joking," wrote one on Twitter, while another added: "This is really looking to be a peak comedy gold show, and I'm here for it." A third commented: "Imagine lacking whimsy and soul so much you think this isn't absolute peak." As a fourth simply put it: "Fuck The Sopranos. Fuck The Wire. Fuck Game of Thrones. We are witnessing the making of the greatest HBO series ever."

Not everyone has been impressed by the depiction of the character so far, especially those who know his comic book history. "This shit is way too meme-heavy, they turned Gorilla Grodd into a total idiot," wrote one, as a second suggested: "Someone here said there are at least 10 gorillas in DC Comics who are perfect for this type of scenario, but Gorilla Grodd isn't one of them."

One thing is for sure though, James Gunn's DCU is taking some bold swings. With this mockumentary comedy on the lineup alongside a body horror version of Clayface and the gritty crime thriller style of Lanterns, the universe is looking pretty eclectic, and arguably all the more exciting for it.

For more of what's on the way, check out our guide to upcoming DC movies and shows.

The DCU is full steam ahead, as just over two weeks after James Gunn officially announced that The People v. Gorilla Grodd had been greenlit, the series has already started filming at a university in the US.

The upcoming Jimmy Olsen show has started filming at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, and thanks to leaked set photos, it looks like the series will fully embrace the university setting. Images posted by a Georgia Tech student on TikTok show banners for Metropolis University, branded in blue and purple. Many presumed the photos were taken on the set of Man of Tomorrow, but that finished filming in August.

On August 21, Gunn took to Twitter to share that the previously announced Jimmy Olsen show, which is a true-crime mockumentary, is officially going ahead at HBO. According to the in-universe bulletin from The Daily Planet, the eight-part mock-doc, directed by Daily Planet reporter and Superman character Olsen, will "take a fresh, 360-degree look at the case, revealing a lesser-seen side" of Grodd, who was imprisoned for the "murder and brain consumption of his father, King Grodd."

So, why is the show filming at a university? Well, the documentary is set to include "interviews with witnesses and experts on both Grodd's and the Metropolis District Attorney's side of the case." Plus, another image shows a newspaper dated Friday, November 3, 1989. This means that Olsen is doing some digging and could pay some university professors a visit to ask about the super monkey's abilities.

First introduced to DC Comics in 1959 as an antagonist to the Flash, Grodd gained his powers when he was exposed to a space rock, making him hyper-intelligent and able to control the human mind. Alongside Olsen star Skyler Gisondo, the cast also includes Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd, Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White.

The People v. Gorilla Grodd does not yet have a release date. For more, check out our guide to DCU Chapter One and keep up with all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows.

The ongoing question of who the Manhunter is in Lanterns has seemingly been answered in the latest episode. At the end of episode 4, Hal Jordan and John Stewart aired their suspicions that Zoe Macon is the alien they've been looking for.

It's long been suspected that Zoe could be the Manhunter. Ever since her introduction in episode 1, there's been something off about the character and her unusual family. This only became more obvious in episode 4 when she seemingly faked her own death after a string of strange behavior.

However, some fans think that even though she is the imposter alien, that doesn't necessarily mean she's bad. In fact, it's been suggested that she may have even helped Hal Jordan and John Stewart save the whole of Rushville.

"Well, the theory is that indeed Zoe is the manhunter, but the town protects her because she's really not bad; she helps and heals the town," one viewer wrote on Twitter. "The real villain is the Guardian. Zoe takes the form of Hal Jordan and is killed so that Jordan and Stewart can stop the Guardian."

This was taken one step further by another viewer, who suggested this is why we see John shedding a tear over the body back at the end of episode 1. Indeed, there's certainly no love lost between him and Hal, so it felt quite unusual to see his emotion at his former mentor's death.

If it is really the Guardian that is the big bad, that will be a pretty huge twist for the DC series. We're at the halfway point of the show now, so we'll have to follow along to see just how this all plays out.

Read our Lanterns release schedule guide so you don't miss a moment, as well as our Lanterns review for why you should be watching the show.

Lanterns episode 4 is another corker, and seemingly answers one of several major mysteries in the DCU show: Who is the Manhunter? But fans aren't sure if there's still more to the case of a killer, shapeshifting alien lifeform hiding in plain sight.

Warning: full spoilers for Lanterns episode 4 follow.

In Lanterns episode 4 'The Weenie', it is revealed that Zoe Macon is the Manhunter hiding out in Rushville. While Zoe doesn't technically verbalize her true identity, many things point to this, most notably the fact that she cured William Macon's cancer. Zoe Macon actor Poorna Jaganathan has also been discussing her role as the secret Manhunter in several post release interviews, telling EW: "I wasn't told when I got the role that she was the Manhunter. I had to read it to find that out.”

Case closed? Not quite, as Lanterns fans think they answer to such a huge mystery came too soon, and too easy, meaning there must be more to it.

"Why did Zoe blow herself up if she was in charge of the decoy Manhunter?! Why did the show make it so obvious that she's the Manhunter?!" asked one user on Twitter. "Because she probably isn't," offered one fan in response. "We don't find that answer so easily, 4 episodes in. Or the Manhunter is not the main threat."

With half a season still to go, it does feel surprisingly early to be blowing the lid open on a mystery that could run all season. But with another huge question – Who killed Hal Jordan? – still to be answered, and the entire 2026 thread of the story untouched since episode 1, there's still plenty to be explored.

And we do have another question to answer now: who killed the Manhunter? And if it was Zoe who used her own laser satellites to blow herself up (or make it looks like she had), why go to such lengths? The questions keep piling up.

Lanterns episode 4 is streaming now on HBO Max in the US and UK, and on NOW in the UK. For our spoiler-free verdict on episodes 1-7, check out our Lanterns review. And bookmark our Lanterns release schedule, so you never miss an episode.

Lanterns has been a huge success for HBO Max, now becoming the streamer's third most successful show ever made. According to new figures, it's only behind House of the Dragon and The Last of Us in viewing figures.

According to box office and streaming commentator Luiz Fernando, "HBO is celebrating #DCU’s series #Lanterns quickly becoming their #3 most successful first season after #HouseOfTheDragon & #TheLastOfUS, beating even #AKnightOfTheSevenKingdoms."

They continued to break down the numbers, explaining: "While the season premiere has reached 20M viewers since its debut, Episode 3 reached 10M Global viewers in just 3 days (7M from the US alone), more than what the Season Premiere itself achieved on the same period two weeks ago, showing the steady viewership growth with each episode as positive WOM spreads."

Lanterns introduces the Green Lantern Corps, a group of superpowered individuals tasked with keeping law and order in the galaxy. Earth's representative is Hal Jordan, who's joined by a rookie lined up to replace him, John Stewart. Together, they head to the small town of Rushville, Nebraska to investigate a strange crime.

Part of the success of the new show, beyond appealing to comic book fans, comes from the fact that it's really, really good. Our Lanterns review gave it 4.5 stars, with critic Bradley Russell arguing that it proves "the DCU is back on track".

It's also introduced a tantalizing series of mysteries to keep viewers returning week on week. First up is the lingering question of who killed Hal Jordan, following his dramatic death at the end of episode one. Then there's the conundrum about who the Manhunter is, after it was revealed that an alien was hiding in plain sight in the show.

Follow along weekly with our Lanterns release schedule to make sure you don't miss a moment.

Hal Jordan has been Earth's Green Lantern since 1986, which means he might have come into contact with a certain metahuman at some point. DC fans have been speculating that the superhero would likely have wanted to check out an alien spaceship crashing in Smallville, Kansas when Kal-El arrived after Krypton's fall.

As is usually the case with the Man of Steel's backstory, he is then raised by farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent. And, as one fan theorized, this might be what put Hal off from intervening. They suggested: "The concept of Hal checking out the crashed spaceship in Kansas only to see a tiny baby Clark in Ma & Pa's hands and immediately backing off because he can't 'take care' of this cutie patootie of a threat, so Hal just checks in regularly as Clark grows up."

Now this is a cute headcanon, but we're going to be honest, we're not sure that Hal is the caring, uncle type. Other fans weighed in too with their ideas, with one imagining that "young Clark sees Hal on TV all the time and wants to be a hero like that some day." This one does seem more likely as we've already seen a young John Stewart doing just that too.

There has been no indication yet that Superman and Hal have crossed paths, but given Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner is set to appear and John will feature in the sequel Man of Tomorrow, it does seem likely their lives have intersected. We'll have to wait and see whether this gets addressed in the HBO show or not.

In the meantime, there is plenty to keep us busy while watching Lanterns as we try to uncover who killed Hal Jordan and who the Manhunter is. The show is airing weekly, so check out our Lanterns release schedule for how to watch and our Lanterns review for why you should be.

Perhaps the strangest upcoming project in James Gunn's DCU Chapter One is The People vs. Gorilla Grodd. Starring Superman's Jimmy Olsen, it's being billed as an eight-part true-crime mockumentary and comedy.

Created by American Vandal's Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, it sees Olsen investigate the crimes of a telepathic gorilla and notorious DC villain. He tries to work out whether the character has been wrongly convicted of murdering his father in the unique new show.

It's definitely a fun idea, and it's hard to think of anything else we've seen like it in the superhero space. However, that hasn't stopped people from trying, with ScreenRant calling it She-Hulk meets Invincible in a recent feature.

Gunn reacted to this on Threads, admitting he was a little bit confused by the comparison after a fan shared it with the caption: "After Lanterns and Peacemaker @jamesgunn could green light an 8-episode series of ice cubes melting on a kitchen table and I'd be there every Sunday night with bells on."

The DC Studios head replied: "Although, The People Vs is a DCU true crime docuseries, so I don't see what it has in common with either of those shows. But I appreciate the support and hope it will help push my Melty Ice Cube series through this fall."

However, Gunn probably didn't realise that his reply has also got fans hoping the show will be a multi-season project. By calling it "The People Vs.", some have been wondering if it's being set up as a new anthology show – and they have plenty of suggestions about who it should cover next. "The People vs Giganta," suggested one, while another added: "The People vs Darkseid".

We'll have to wait and see what happens there. In the meantime, the DCU is releasing Lanterns weekly on HBO Max and Clayface will be heading to theaters very soon. For all the other projects on the way, check out our guide to upcoming DC movies and shows.

Ryan Reynolds has made it clear over the years that he doesn't love his Green Lantern movie – but, despite that, he'd still be willing to return for a cameo in Lanterns.

In fact, Reynolds seems so regretful of his own Green Lantern film that, in the Deadpool 2 post-credits scene, the Merc with the Mouth shoots Reynolds in the head after the actor gets the Green Lantern script. And, in the first Deadpool film, Wade Wilson asks for his suit not to be green or animated.

"I would totally do a cameo in that," Reynolds told Entertainment Tonight. "I love it. I learned so much making that movie. And I know what you're thinking, you're thinking, 'Oh, learned what not to do.' In part, yes. But also, any time you're making something that large, there are core lessons that come of it. And I owe my entire career to that movie. I owe everything to that… Everything about it was a gift that keeps on giving. And I really enjoyed the experience of making it."

If Reynolds did return for a cameo, it wouldn't be as Hal Jordan, since Kyle Chandler took up the mantle in Lanterns. Aaron Pierre stars as John Stewart.

As for Reynolds's Marvel future, at the moment, it's unclear. The actor has shared he's working on a fourth Deadpool movie, but he's not currently included on the supersized cast list for Avengers: Doomsday, despite participating in humorous 'bits' during the Marvel panels at both SDCC and D23.

Lanterns continues weekly on HBO, while Doomsday arrives this December 18. For more, check out our Lanterns review for our spoiler-free verdict on the show, or our Lanterns release schedule to keep up to date.

Immediately killing a beloved hero of almost seven decades instantly established that nothing is sacred in HBO's Lanterns. Anyone can die, and the DC comics this show is based on are a mere guideline at best. Yet even so, John Stewart's decidedly dark origin story – explored in episode three – comes as a big surprise to anyone familiar with his start in the source material.

Powerhouse comic book duo Denny O’Neil and artist Neal Adams introduced John as the fourth Green Lantern in Green Lantern #87 (1971) where he quickly proved himself to be worthy of wielding such emerald might. The character was originally an architect and civil rights activist who actively distrusted authority. This might seem worlds away from Aaron Pierre's somewhat uptight take on John in Lanterns, but that military background explored here didn't just come out of nowhere.

Although Stewart continued to be portrayed as an architect throughout the decades that followed, it wasn't until the character was rewritten as a former U.S. Marine in the noughties Justice League cartoon that he became more prominent. The comics soon followed suit, retconning John as a Marine sniper, although his architect roots were reintroduced again just recently, aiming for a best of both worlds scenario in line with Lanterns.

This unique combination of creativity and discipline isn't easy to balance in a character, although Pierre does a masterful job of it on the show. That tension is key to understanding his version of John in Lanterns and it unfortunately makes his life all the more tragic as a result.

No fear

In the premiere, we watched as John's father shot an apple off his head as a child, yet it's not until episode three where this show really digs into the 'why' of it all. Why would John Stewart Sr. risk his son's life so casually? And why wouldn't the boy cry or run away?

Early in the episode, we discover that John's father was offered the ring before Hal Jordan, while John was still in the crib. Flashbacks reveal he was tested by the Guardians, but failed upon admitting that he was "afraid." His wife, Bernadette, didn't believe John Sr., not until one of the Guardians showed up at their door and confirmed the truth of his account.

Bernadette called her out, asking, "Do you know how unfair it is to ask a Black man if he’s afraid?" The Guardian conceded that the ring selection process is unusual for humans, so she offered a new opportunity to make up for it.

The ring clearly saw something in John Sr.'s DNA and Bernadette had proved herself to be "formidable" too, so she suggested that perhaps their "offspring could one day be an excellent candidate" in the future.

The catch is that he too would need to be "fearless."

And so begins what can only be described as an endless torrent of abuse. To ensure that John will one day become worthy enough to replace Hal Jordan, his parents push him through disturbing trials throughout his childhood to erase any hint of fear in his mind.

These include regular instances of apples being shot off his head, as we saw earlier in episode one. But young John is also abandoned alone in dangerous neighbourhoods and even made to shoot an apple off his mother's head, risking her life in the process too.

This all takes a toll on his parents, but what's far worse is the toll it takes on young John himself.

When the Guardian suggests to adult John that his "training must have created a lot of loneliness," he denies it. And why would he not? This is all John has ever known. As such, the very real physical danger and emotional turmoil he endured doesn't register as abuse. For him, it's just a sign that his parents wanted what was best for him. And that's why he's so obsessed with doing everything in his power to make their dream for him come true.

Rebuilding better

More than Hal Jordan's death in 2026 or even the deaths that continue to hit Rushville in 2016, it's John's upbringing that represents the real tragedy of Lanterns. Stewart can't even fathom what he was put through because it was normal to him. And what's worse is that his parents knew exactly what they were doing.

"He's going to hate us," they discuss early on, realising that what they're about to do to their baby boy isn't right. But in the end they decide, "So be it." Because their dream is more important than anything John could ever wish for himself.

The cracks are starting to show, even if John himself can't comprehend them just yet. We see it in the flashes of creativity that John never got to pursue as a career over his work in the military. And we see it in the frayed emotional bonds he shares with his family, be it these abusive parents or his siblings who always felt John was favoured over them.

It's all far darker than the early days of John's run in the comics, and as such, some fans may balk at these changes, just like they did at Hal's death. But isn't this what we want from new adaptations of stories so old in the tooth?

As Damon Lindelof told The Hollywood Reporter just recently, "There’s almost a responsibility to take risks. I don’t think anybody wants to see you be completely and totally vigilant to the source material because then it isn’t an adaptation at all."

And that's exactly how characters like John and Hal will continue to impact us another seven decades from now, by evolving and reinventing the mythos they spring from to fit our times, be it in darkest day or blackest night.

Lanterns is streaming weekly on HBO. For our verdict on the season, check out our Lanterns review and never miss an episode with our Lanterns release schedule.

Even superheroes have bosses; at least they do in HBO’s Lanterns. As much as Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) acts like a charming rogue who follows his own rules and doesn’t care about authority, he does answer to a higher power that can technically fire him at any time. That power is the Guardians of the Universe, a race of aliens who are seemingly no friends of Hal Jordan, and are so bad at their job that they have given the universe as many supervillains as they have heroes.

As the name suggests, the Guardians of the Universe have sworn to protect and defend the universe as the oldest police force in existence, creating the Green Lantern Corps to patrol the universe. And yet, more often than not, their efforts result in some spectacular mistakes and acts of cruelty. If Lanterns is your first exposure to the worst bosses in creation, we are here to guide you through the long history of the Guardians of the Universe.

Already seen Lanterns episode 3? Be sure to dive into our breakdown of John Stewart's dark new origin story. We're also playing detective by investigating who killed Hal Jordan and asking who is the Manhunter? For a full verdict on the DCU Chapter One show, check out our Lanterns review.

The Guardians of the Universe in DC comics

The Guardians of the Universe first appeared in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #1 from 1960, created by John Broome and Gil Kane, where they essentially interview Hal Jordan after he gains a power ring and deem him worthy of joining the Corps. Originally, they were portrayed as benevolent sages, little old aliens with weak bodies but incredibly powerful minds.

They are considered the oldest beings in the DC universe, a group of scientists and thinkers who conducted all sorts of experiments (like torturing other beings to create new species). One of these experiments accidentally resulted in the creation of the multiverse and of evil itself, which prompted the Guardians to dedicate themselves to combating chaos and evil.

Over the years, the Guardians have gone from benevolent old aliens to rather stern bosses who occasionally make bad calls and butt heads with their employees, to a rather corrupt organization capable of untold evil. For example, at one point the Guardians arbitrarily decided that magic was intrinsically bad, and stole it from the entire universe, sealing it along with any magic being inside an orb.

They are now mostly portrayed as emotionless and detached beings with a big backlog of sins that they’ve covered up across the eons. The 2004 Green Lantern: Rebirth comic series by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver revealed that the Guardians once encountered the very embodiment of fear and decided to trap it within the Central Power Battery that fuels every single Green Lantern ring, and then kept that knowledge hidden despite knowing that creature would make every Green Lantern power ring useless against the color yellow.

It isn't just ancient cosmic horrors that the Guardians have trapped inside the battery; they also use it to imprison their own employees when they are no longer useful to the Guardians, like when they imprisoned Sinestro inside the battery in Green Lantern Corps #222 from 1988.

But all of that pales in comparison to the Guardians’ first attempt at creating a police force. The Guardians are also responsible for creating the Manhunters, a robotic interstellar police force that eventually became self-aware and resentful of their creators. The Manhunters went on to rebel against the Guardians after concluding that evil was intrinsic to biological life and deciding to eradicate it.

The Guardians of the Universe in Lanterns

As in the comics, the Guardians are responsible for creating the Manhunters in the Lanterns universe. In the show, the bosses of the Green Lanterns are starting to play an increasingly impactful role. So far, we've only seen Laura Linney's Guardian, both in human form and briefly in her true-blue form (albeit from behind). This, it says, is less upsetting for humans, making the Guardians appear relatable and even approachable. But in truth, this is them disguising their true selves, their intentions and lack of empathy and compassion.

We learned that the Guardians tested John Stewart’s father when he was younger, but when he failed to convince the ring of his fearlessness, they moved on to the guy who eventually got the job – Hal Jordan. They acknowledge that they failed to foresee the psychological damage an alien encounter would have on the rejected candidates, messing up the lives of John’s father as well as many others, and offering a comically large diamond as recompense (which lands John's mother in hot water).

Even their attempt at making things right with the Stewarts is quite monstrous, as they welcome John’s mother dedicating her life to turning her infant child into a soldier, raising him to be cold and calculated without a guarantee that he’ll get the job when he grows up.

But how are they as bosses? Well, what little Hal Jordan has talked about them makes it look like the Guardians are emotionless, cold jerks. But in episode 3, we truly learn how bad they are. It seems like the primary reason John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) was even hired to become a Green Lantern was specifically because the Guardians of the Universe want him to execute Hal Jordan and take over his role, as they ask John if he’s prepared to do that.

Sure, the Guardians could do it themselves; they could probably just take his powers away. Instead, they are hiring Jordan’s replacement and testing his loyalty by making him kill his mentor. But that’s not all. We also learn in the episode that Hal Jordan’s own mentor, Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen), at some point went rogue, killing a Guardian in the process. We don’t know how many other Green Lanterns turned evil, but it’s not great that the supposedly all-knowing Guardians could not sense that this guy could become a monster.

Lanterns is streaming weekly on HBO Max in the US and on HBO Max and Sky/NOW in the UK. Never miss an episode with our Lanterns release schedule, or continue your comics journey with our list of the best Green Lantern comics.

Kelly Macdonald says she watched The Penguin to prep for Lanterns, and picked up the wrong accent along the way.

"Within the first couple of months of the shoot, as well, I was watching The Penguin at the same time," Macdonald told Entertainment Weekly. "Sometimes I’d been over-watching The Penguin, and I’d be going through my dialogue in my trailer, and I'd realize I was doing the whole Gotham thing. I’d be like, 'Turn it down a little bit,' 'cause I’d been told very specifically, 'She's from Gotham but don’t do the accent thing.' She has to be more ambiguous than that. I’m sure you’ll be able to tell the scenes where I’ve been watching The Penguin."

For some clarity, Lanterns episode 2 revealed that Sheriff Kane is originally from Gotham (which some fans suspected all along after she was heard checking in with a certain Commissioner as well as a 'Barb' on the phone). Kane is also the maiden name of Bruce Wayne's mother... so there's that. The series takes place in rural Rushville, Nebraska, so Kane is supposed to have something of a Nebraskan accent after living in town for so long. In real life, Macdonald is from Glasgow, Scotland. So we can see how all the accents might've gotten into a bit a conundrum.

Lanterns airs weekly on HBO Max and NOW. See our Lanterns release schedule for exact timings. For more, check out our guide to DCU Chapter One and find out where Lanterns takes place on the DCU timeline.

Lanterns fans are pretty much in agreement that there's something not quite right with Kelly MacDonald's Sheriff Kerry Kane, and they think she's definitely hiding something.

Warning, the following contains mild spoilers for Lanterns season 1 episode 2, so turn back now if you haven't caught up. First, read our spoiler-free Lanterns review.

After William Macon shoots Hal Jordan, Sheriff Kane takes him to the hospital, where she watches over him while he wakes up from his anesthesia. Once awake, Kane proceeds to tell the Green Lantern that he was saying Sinestro's name in his sleep. However, fans think the Sheriff was lying. "What if Hal wasn’t actually muttering Sinestro's name while he was unconscious, and the sheriff said that to plant the idea in Hal’s subconscious to go see him once he got word of the Manhunter?" said one fan on Twitter.

If Hal had been put to sleep, he would've had no idea what he had said, which means Kane could have said anything at that point. Also, when Hal checks out of the hospital, he finds that no one else had checked in or out during his stay – which would have been over quite some hours if he had been put under and had surgery. In fact, the whole ward was empty, with hospital equipment still in its packaging. That's weird, but what is even more strange is that Sheriff Kane didn't seem to see an issue with it.

But it's not just the hospital scene. Fans think the show has secretly been hinting at Kane's dubious energy through clever reflection shots, which you can see below. "The way Lanterns keeps showing Kerry through reflections… there’s definitely something they’re trying to tell us about her," said the fan. However, despite Kane being on our list of suspects, the poster doesn't think she is the Manhunter, but that she's "definitely not who she says she is."

In the midst of all of the mystery, episode 2 did confirm that Kane is originally from Gotham, which some fans suspected all along after the Sheriff was heard talking to a Commissioner on the phone. In DC Comics, the Kanes are one of the most influential families in the city, and Bruce Wayne's mother's maiden name is Kane. The plot thickens.

Lanterns airs weekly on HBO Max and NOW. See our Lanterns release schedule for exact timings. For more, check out our guide to DCU Chapter One and find out where Lanterns takes place on the DCU timeline.

Lanterns episode 2 has a deep-cut Alan Moore tribute that you almost certainly missed.

In the episode, John Stewart is tasked with heading back to Hal Jordan's place to retrieve the lantern needed to charge the Power Ring. Upon reaching Hal's vault, he calls up his reluctant mentor for the voice code needed to unlock it. The passphrase? "Mogo doesn't socialize."

As pointed out by the perfectly-named Mr. Know it All on Twitter, that's actually a reference to a story in 1985's Green Lantern #188.

'Mogo Doesn't Socialize' revolves around Bolphunga the Unrelenting attempting to defeat the universe's most powerful warriors. After being told he can never defeat Mogo, he goes in search of the Lantern – only to discover he is, in fact, a sentient planet.

Lanterns co-creator Damon Lindelof has previous history with the infamously cantankerous Moore, writing a sequel to the Watchmen graphic novel for HBO.

That even included the – fairly excruciating – act of Lindelof penning a letter to Moore before the project aired.

Responding in an interview with GQ, Moore said, "It went on through a lot of, what seemed to me to be, neurotic rambling… I got back with a very abrupt and probably hostile reply telling him that I'd thought that Warner Bros. were aware that they, nor any of their employees, shouldn't contact me again for any reason."

Moore added, "I explained that I had disowned the work in question, and partly that was because the film industry and the comics industry seemed to have created things that had nothing to do with my work, but which would be associated with it in the public mind. I said, ‘Look, this is embarrassing to me. I don’t want anything to do with you or your show. Please don’t bother me again."

Lanterns is now airing on HBO and HBO Max. For what that means where you live, head on over to the Lanterns release schedule.

We also have a list of suspects for who killed Hal Jordan, if you fancy some sleuthing.

We're only two episodes into Lanterns, but it is packed with Easter eggs and DC references. However, you may have missed some hilarious pop culture nods in the recent installment.

Warning, the following contains mild spoilers for Lanterns season 1 episode 2, so turn back now if you haven't caught up. First, read our spoiler-free Lanterns review.

Partway through Lanterns episode 2, when Aaron Pierre's John Stewart looks around Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan's huge house for the Lantern, he stumbles upon some pictures on the wall from Hal's time in the limelight. One picture shows Hal meeting the pope, another shows the hero sitting with ex-US President Barack Obama, and another shows Jordan standing with the cast of Harry Potter on the red carpet.

Now his rant in episode 1 makes a lot more sense. When he interrogates the alien, Jordan asks the suspected extraterrestrial some pop culture questions to prove he's not human, including "Where does Harry Potter go to school?" Now, every English-speaking person should know that. When the alien fails to answer, Jordan says, "Harry Potter went to Hogwarts, you ignorant alien fuck!"

Lanterns fans are loving the little tidbits, as one wrote on Reddit, "God, this show is so fucking funny." However, another has pointed out that Hal's wall of celeb meetups is actually rather sad. "It really reinforces how alone he is and how the job is all Hal really has. Not a single picture of anyone he cares about. It’s a really fun way to set up his fear of being replaced and having no purpose."

Hal's loneliness is reinforced by his big empty house. He doesn't even have a couch, just a sole camping chair positioned in front of a huge TV. Hal's time as the Green Lantern meant he never got married or had a family, with his companion being an alien plant he keeps in his backyard. This might explain why he behaves the way he does, and why he is so eager to push John away at any given moment.

Some think his erratic behaviour puts him under suspicion of being the Manhunter, but I think his personality is the result of his job. Plus, there is a reason he would rather post up at a shabby motel in Nebraska and devote his life to the case rather than go home to his wealth.

Lanterns airs weekly on HBO Max and NOW. See our Lanterns release schedule for exact timings. For more, check out our guide to DCU Chapter One, and find out where Lanterns takes place on the DCU timeline.

With the introduction of Manhunters and the mysterious circumstances of Hal Jordan's death in Lanterns so far, plenty of wild theories have been circulating about the DC Studios show. The latest fan speculation to emerge surrounds the mysterious Zoe Macon and how she might be linked to Sinestro.

Posting on Twitter, one fan suggested that Zoe could be Soranik Natu, the daughter of Sinestro. The character is the leader of the Sinestro Corps in the comics, as well as being a former member of the Lantern Corps.

The theory of why Zoe could be her in hiding seems to stem from Sinestro's knowledge of John Stewart. At the very end of Lanterns episode 2, Hal Jordan visits his former mentor, who quizzes him on what he knows about John. But as fans pointed out, if he's imprisoned, then how does he even know about John?

One answer could be that his daughter is communicating with him somehow. We know that Zoe and John are well acquainted in the HBO Max show after their liaison in episode 1. Could she be the missing link?

"Today's episode had a lot of yellow imagery and lighting around this scene in particular with John and Zoe," Twitter user sz0 added. "And again, it’s definitely possible she’s the manhunter. Or, she was told by Sinestro to keep a close eye on Hal, and that's how he knows about John." Intriguing…

As the user suggests, Zoe is also one of the prime Manhunter suspects. As we learnt in episode 2, the mysterious and highly dangerous alien has infiltrated Rushville and is hiding in human form. Zoe's husband William Macon, son Billy Macon, and Sheriff Kerry Kane are all also suspects. Only time will tell who the real villain is.

For more on the show, check out our guide to when Lanterns takes place on the DC timeline as well as our breakdown of the Lanterns release schedule.

TV veteran Damon Lindelof – known for Lost, The Leftovers, Watchmen, and now Lanterns – has delivered what we hope is the final say on adaptations changing aspects of their source material.

“We all just have to acknowledge that there’s a level of hubris involved in taking on any of this preexisting IP. But it is called adaptation. Source material is supposed to change and evolve [by definition],” Lindelof said in a discussion with The Hollywood Reporter.

Lindelof added, "As a consumer and as someone who’s making this stuff, there’s almost a responsibility to take risks. I don’t think anybody wants to see you be completely and totally vigilant to the source material because then it isn’t an adaptation at all. Shouldn’t we be beyond this conversation by now?

"Nobody who does what we do goes to bed at night, saying, 'All that I care about is whether or not I pissed off the fans.'" Lindelof continued. "They go to bed at night, going, 'Did I do anything worthwhile creatively? Did I put anything authentically emotional into this story that people can relate to?'"

Those who have religiously followed Lindelof's work over the years will know the writer and creative thrives on change – and even going beyond the boundaries of source material.

The second and third seasons of existential drama The Leftovers went past the story penned in Tom Perrotta's novel of the same name.

Famously, Lindelof also created a 'sequel' to Watchmen as an HBO miniseries, which followed the characters created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons over three decades after the events of the 1980s seminal graphic novel. Lanterns is also a changed, grounded take on DC's Green Lantern comics, although some cosmic elements remain.

It's something I've encountered over the past few years, too, in the video game adaptation space. Nothing wrong with sticking closely to a popular brand or franchise, of course, but I've definitely been an outlier in liking shows such as Paramount's Halo and Amazon's Yakuza more than most – because they at least tried to do something fresh. If I wanted the same old thing again, I'd play the games.

Lanterns is now airing on HBO and HBO Max. Keep up to date with its streaming plans with our Lanterns release schedule.

We're also doing some detective work in Rushville. Join us as we break down the suspects for the Manhunter and who killed Hal Jordan.

Lanterns returned to HBO this weekend with its second episode, sparking an alien debate amongst the DCU fanbase, which in turn prompted an interesting theory about Hal Jordan's alleged death.

Warning, the following contains mild spoilers for Lanterns season 1 episode 2, so turn back now if you haven't caught up. First, read our spoiler-free Lanterns review.

The new DCU show follows Kyle Chandler's Green Lantern Hal Jordan and his trainee John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as intergalactic cops who are drawn to an extraterrestrial murder case in Nebraska. During last week's premiere, we learned the aliens are able to pose as humans, with Jordan rooting one out in an intense interrogation scene.

However, in Lanterns episode 2, it is revealed that when an alien takes human form, they can then be killed as a human and leave behind a human corpse. With that in mind, one Lanterns fan on Twitter thinks that the flash-forward scene in 2026, which shows Hal Jordan's dead body frozen at the football stadium, might be a red herring.

"If the alien doesn't change shape upon dying, then there's the possibility that Hal Jordan actually didn't die and was an alien disguised as him," said the fan. Others seem to agree, as another replied, "This is what I’ve been saying! Also, if you notice in episode one when Hal sets down the ring onto the car dash, there’s this dark band of residue/ impression from his decades of wearing the ring that isn’t present on the dead 'Hal'." Now that is another interesting theory.

It came as quite a shock to see one of the show's leads dead at the end of episode 1 (you can read our list of suspects here), and many DC fans were not too happy about it. However, soon after the series premiere, showrunner David Lindelof told Collider that he's "willing to absorb the boos from the audience in the first inning," urging fans to wait and "see how you feel at the end of Episode 8." Hmm, it sounds as though not all is as it seems.

In the chaos of it all, episode 2 also introduces DC Comics' Sinestro and confirms that Sheriff Kerry Kane is actually from Gotham, which some fans suspected all along.

Lanterns airs weekly on HBO Max and NOW. See our Lanterns release schedule for exact timings. For more, check out our guide to DCU Chapter One, and find out where Lanterns takes place on the DCU timeline.

Lanterns showrunner Chris Mundy has opened up about the second episode's Sinestro appearance and how it acts as a shock to the system for those who thought the HBO series was going to outright reject its comic book origins.

"We held off on a lot of the more comic book stuff. It's very grounded," Mundy said on Lanterns: The Official Podcast. "We're in western Nebraska. Hal is wearing jeans and a jacket. It felt like a good time to remind people we understand the show we're making and we understand who the players are."

The scene, which arrives at the end of the second episode, 'Trust Fall', sees Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan fly off to the intergalactic prison in which former Lantern Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen) is being held.

While tensions are understandably frosty between the pair, the moment is framed as Hal returning to his mentor for help in cracking the case on Earth – as a Manhunter runs loose in Rushville.

"It felt like the moment in the show to let everybody know we're doing space cops," co-executive producer Vanessa Baden Kelly added.

The sudden emergence of Sinestro, and the history between him and Hal, is proof enough that – in Kyle Chandler's words – the show won't be a "slow burn" after the shocking episode 1 cliffhanger.

"I think it turns out great," Chandler told GamesRadar+. "I think there's a lot of different moves in the whole deal. It's an exciting poker game."

"We didn't have all the scripts starting out. They started coming in… it's not a slow burn. It goes from one world into another, and grows into that."

Lanterns is now airing weekly on HBO and HBO Max.

For more, check out the Lanterns release schedule, plus our best guesses at who the Manhunter is in Lanterns.

DC Studios' Gorilla Grodd TV show is coming to HBO Max as an eight-episode series now officially titled The People v. Gorilla Grodd.

James Gunn, co-chairman and CEO of DC Studios, took to social media to announce the news. Gunn is executive producing the series and calls it DC Studios' "first foray into the true crime genre." Really, it's a mockumentary-style exploration of the cult-favorite arch-enemy Gorilla Grodd, one of the wildest creations in DC history, and whether he's guilty of murdering his father.

First conceived way back in 1959 during the early days of the Silver Age DC Universe in The Flash #106 by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino, Grodd is a super-intelligent ape with psychic powers with world-conquering ideations. In the DC Studios TV show, he's convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City, while Jimmy Olsen, played by Skyler Gisondo, reopens the case to find out whether Grodd is truly guilty or innocent.

Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault, the directing duo known for creating the 2017 Netflix mockumentary series American Vandal, are serving as writers and showrunners on The People v. Gorilla Grodd. The cast includes Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd, Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White.

"We're excited by the challenge of creating a series that feels less like an entry into the DCU and more like an artifact from it," Yacenda and Perrault say in a statement to Variety. "A Daily Planet original documentary made for the people of Metropolis. We hope it'll appeal to fans of the comics, comedy and true crime. And while we can't speak for audiences here yet, we already know it's a huge hit in Metropolis. They love this series."

Meanwhile, Gunn repeats that the Grodd TV show is one of two shows alongside Lanterns that he pitched to Warner Bros. before he even joined the company. "With Tony and Dan at the helm, it's something truly special," he says.

While we await more details, here are all of the upcoming DC movies and shows on our radar.

After stumbling slightly with Supergirl, it looks like James Gunn's DCU is back on form as new series Lanterns sets a major record for DC Studios.

As per Variety, Lanterns season 1 episode 1 pulled in a whopping 9.3 million viewers in its first three days on HBO and HBO Max worldwide, marking the biggest series premiere for a DC Studios show ever. Plus, 6.6 million of those views came from the US.

This is quite the feat, as Lanterns has beaten Creatures and Commandos, Peacemaker, and even beloved Batman spin-off The Penguin, which took eleven whole days to amass the amount of views Lanterns hit in just three days. Lanterns now sits in the top five series premieres on HBO behind Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which opened to 6.7 million viewers in the US earlier this year.

The massive viewership is not too much of a surprise, as the show hit HBO to rave reviews on Sunday, August 16. Lanterns currently stands at an impressive 94%. In our Lanterns review, we awarded the new DCU project 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it a "captivating murder mystery that prides itself on relentless pacing and masterful character work from Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart."

Although it's only early days, there have been some rumblings around a possible Lanterns season 2, with scribe Chris Mundy already back in the writers' room working on new stories. Lanterns' success also follows a bit of a shake-up for Gunn's DCU Chapter One as Peacemaker spin-off Waller and Wonder Woman show Paradise Lost have been scrapped.

The show follows Chandler's Green Lantern and Intergalactic Cop Hal Jordan as he trains Pierre's new recruit John Stewart to take over the mantle. However, the unlikely duo are quickly pulled into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder that seems to have extraterrestrial ties. Lanterns also stars Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Jason Ritter, Ulrich Thomsen, and Nathan Fillion.

Lanterns continues to air weekly on HBO Max. See our Lanterns release schedule for exact timings. For more, keep up with upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.

The first episode of Lanterns ended with a huge twist: Hal Jordan is dead. Discovered by John Stewart and Sheriff Kane in Rushville, we see Hal's frozen body sitting upright with a bullet in his head at the end of the episode.

This sets up a major mystery about who's behind the big death (you can read our list of suspects here). However, one viewer has noticed something in the show's trailer, which might have blown the case wide open.

Sharing a few screenshots from the new Lanterns trailer on Reddit, they saw a body with a similar wound as well as a similar skull. Check this out below.

"The body Hal drags out from the morgue has a wound on its forehead, exactly where "Hal's" wound is at the end of episode 1," they wrote. "And the skull John picks up also has what looks to be a healed wound in a similar area. Lends me to suspect Hal's still alive, and these are all aliens being murdered."

Another viewer agreed, pointing out that elsewhere in the same trailer, Hal can be seen dragging the body from the morgue into the same football field that his body was found in.

Redditors have been running with the theory. "That's an actually insane discovery. If true, this would be exceptional foreshadowing," one wrote, while another added: "Don't forget they made a HUGE point to tell the audience that there are species of aliens who can shapeshift so well that they can even fool medical scans without an issue."

We've got to admit, we're hoping there's something to this theory. While we'll likely see more of Hal in the series, we're holding out hope that he might somehow be still alive.

For more on Lanterns, check out our Lanterns review as well as our breakdown of the Lanterns release schedule.

Lanterns showrunner Chris Mundy says season 2 is being mapped out right now and will be told in a "slightly different way"

"The question is whether [season two] is a story people are interested in," Mundy told The Hollywood Reporter. "If that's the case, then we’ll get to do another one. We'll tell it in a slightly different way, so that it feels fresh, with characters you know and care about."

Of the ongoing pre-production plans, Mundy added, "We're about six weeks into laying out a season, and then we'll talk to folks about it really soon."

Given the title of Lanterns, there had been some expectation – including from myself, admittedly – that each season would go full True Detective and follow a different Lantern and new crime each season.

But given the talk of "characters you know and care about", there could be some familiar faces back and rocking the ring instead. So, likely no Kyle Rayner, Jessica Cruz, or more obscure Lanterns like Saarek.

Is that a good thing? Well, I'll just say this: I didn't know how much I wanted a Guy Gardner and John Stewart buddy cop duo until now. Make it happen, James Gunn.

Speaking of Gunn, Mundy reaffirmed that the DC Studios boss never meddled in the narrative ahead of John Stewart's appearance in 2027 Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow.

"We knew we were putting John on his feet, but there wasn’t an actual story point that we had to land him on," Mundy said. "In one way, it makes it scarier because it could be anything, but at the same time, we weren’t shoehorned into anything at all."

Lanterns is currently airing new episodes every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.

For more, check out the Lanterns release schedule. We also have a list of prime suspects behind episode 1's shocking whodunnit.

The name's Lantern. Green Lantern.

Whether he intended to or not, Henry Winkler's recent social media activity added another name to the long, long list of actors who are on audience's wishlists to play the new James Bond.

"Aaron Pierre should be the next BOND," Winkler tweeted on Sunday night after watching the British actor step onto the scene as rookie Lantern-in-training John Stewart on HBO's Lanterns.

In the 2026 scenes, it's hard to disagree. Pierre takes over the show in style (literally, too, thanks to that trendy winter attire), showcasing the blend of charm and command that could easily see him working for His Majesty's Secret Service on the big screen.

Lanterns co-star Kelly Macdonald, who plays Sheriff Kane in the series, wants Pierre to keep on trucking with his role as John Stewart, however.

"I just feel sorry for anybody that gets [linked] – it sort of gets spoken about too much," Macdonald tells GamesRadar+. "Saying yes to a Bond film is a big, big, deal. Lots of people get thrown in the mix. It feels like every week there's a new person."

Macdonald adds, "He certainly could be [Bond], but I hope to see him as a Green Lantern for many years to come."

When we mention Winkler's tweet to Pierre himself, the John Stewart actor – who is set to reprise the role in 2027's Man of Tomorrow – remained humble over the links.

"I think that is an enormous compliment, and I appreciate it greatly. That's very kind. It's a very kind thing for someone to say."

The hunt for the next 007 continues, with producer Amy Pascal recently saying the next Bond actor will be "different" and announced by the end of the year (via Deadline).

Whether he likes his martinis shaken or stirred, it appears Pierre is blocking out the noise – from the spy world or otherwise. Still, Lanterns could yet be an audition for him to earn the number.

Lanterns is now streaming on HBO Max in the UK and Ireland.

For more, here's all the latest on DCU Chapter One.

Lanterns isn't Aaron Pierre's first DC rodeo.

Almost a decade ago, a baby-faced Pierre formed part of the cast of Krypton, a SyFy series that charted the domestic court of Krypton and the lives of Superman's ancestors, including his grandfather, Seg-El.

There, Pierre played Dev-Em, a part worlds away from a far more iconic DC role – as John Stewart in Lanterns. But that doesn't mean it wasn't able to influence his step-up in comic book roles when the time came.

"I think they're two unique and individual experiences," Pierre tells GamesRadar+ during a Lanterns press event in London.

"One thing that I did take from my experience on Krypton to the set of Lanterns is – I'm still young now, but I was even younger on Krypton – I took the experience of being on a set of that enormity and that magnitude. And how do you honor your character, service the character, and do the same thing for the story in such a grand environment and in such a grand set?"

Pierre concludes, "That's that's the sort of education that I brought with me to this, and I had a blast doing it."

Pierre went from Krypton, via Pride Rock in Mufasa, to Rushville, Nebraska as part of the Lanterns cast. Next, he's going to reprise his role as John Stewart in Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, while also blasting off to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: Starfighter.

Lanterns is now streaming on HBO Max in the UK and Ireland.

For more, check out the Lanterns release schedule and our guide to DCU Chapter One.

We're only 1 episode into new DCU Chapter One show Lanterns, but the theories are already starting to roll in. The latest being that fans think that Kelly MacDonald's character Kerry is a Gothamite in disguise.

Despite Lanterns being set in Nebraska, DC fans are positive that the local sheriff is actually from Gotham City. That's right, the same place where Batman himself resides. In episode 1, Kerry is seen talking on the phone to a police Commissioner when she says, "Tell Barb I said hey." Could Kerry be talking to Gotham's Commissioner Gordon? In DC comics, Gordon's wife is named Barbara, but in some stories his daughter is named Barbara Gordon, otherwise known as Batgirl.

This could just be a little DC Easter egg, or maybe it is James Gunn''s way of slipping in context for the DCU's upcoming Batman movie, The Brave and the Bold. But there's more, as Portuguese DC fan page Caverna do Morcego points out on Twitter. "Her full name is Kerry Kane. The Kane family is one of the most influential in Gotham. Bruce Wayne's mother was a Kane," reads the post.

It is true that in traditional DC comics, Batman's mother's maiden name is Martha Kane. However, a few other characters share that last name too, including Bruce Wayne's cousin, Kate (Katherine) Kane, who later became Batwoman. At this point, we don't know what 'Kerry' is short for, meaning there is the possibility that Kerry is Katherine. But that may be a bit of a reach this early on in the series.

This isn't the first time that fans have drawn a connection from Lanterns to the Batman comics. Towards the end of episode 1, Aaron Pierre's Jon Stewart walks past a poster for Janus Cosmetics, which shows a woman's face half covered in black feathers. However, in DC comics, Janus is owned by Roman Sionis, aka Batman Villain Black Mask. Following the downfall, the baddie businessman goes after Bruce Wayne after Wayne Enterprises publicly bails him out. Boy, these Gothamites really are everywhere.

Lanterns airs weekly on HBO Max and NOW. See our Lanterns release schedule for exact timings. For more, check out our Lanterns review, and find out where Lanterns takes place on the DCU timeline.

Lanterns writer Damon Lindelof is no stranger to bringing out our emotions as part of Lost, The Leftovers, and Watchmen – but even we didn't see the first episode's narrative gambit coming.

Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan is dead and, as Lindelof told Collider, it's a story beat he initially wasn't on board with.

"We can't do that, everyone is gonna hate us and it feels gimmicky," Lindelof said. "But [showrunner Chris Mundy] was like, 'I don't feel that it's gimmicky. I think that it will actually infuse the entire story with a lot of emotionality, especially if the audience understands that John and Hal were not in a good place at the time that Hal died.'"

Lindelof revealed they "gradually" started coming round to the idea, but acknowledged that "a lot of people are going to be angry."

"'I waited this long for another live-action version of Hal, having not gotten him since the Ryan Reynolds film, and then basically 50 minutes after getting me to fall in love with Kyle Chandler, you're killing him off? Fuck you.'" Lindelof said.

"I guess our feeling is, let's see how you feel at the end of Episode 8, and if you still feel like it was exploitative or unnecessary, or that it wasn't exactly what had to happen in order for this story to get told, then we deserve it. But I think we're willing to absorb the boos from the audience in the first inning, as long as we still have a shot at winning the game."

In-universe, Hal Jordan is surviving – but not quite thriving – as 'hail' comes to Rushville, Nebraska as of 2016. There's even a decade-old 'Halogram' as part of his Lantern ring that muddies the waters slightly.

But in 2026, he appears definitively dead, his frozen body slumped out on the rafters – a fitting end to a character played by a Friday Night Lights lead, perhaps, but a sad one nonetheless.

We spoke to Kyle Chandler about the reveal, and he teased that the story won't be a "slow burn" from hereon out.

Adding to the mystery, it's been confirmed that Guy Gardner has Hal Jordan's ring. There's every reason, then, why our list of prime murder suspects is so long. But we'll have to seemingly wait until the finale to find out whodunnit.

For more, check our where Lanterns takes place on the DCU timeline, as well as our interview with Aaron Pierre as he talks Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow.

The first episode of Lanterns ended, fittingly, in blackest night with a dead body.

Despite the premiere shocker – as part of a 2026 flash-forward – reframing the whole show already, Hal Jordan actor Kyle Chandler promises what follows isn't going to be a "slow burn" before we get to the grand reveal.

Be warned, major spoilers for Lanterns episode 1 within.

So, Hal Jordan is dead. How he got there, who killed him, and whether we're actually looking at Hal slumped in the snowy rafters in Rushville remain a mystery

But what Chandler is transparent about when we spoke to him about that moment is that it's going to be pedal to the (green) metal all the way through – but he warned that "everyone is going to have to watch and find out to make their own decision" on the first episode's rug-pull.

"I think it turns out great," Chandler says. "I think there's a lot of different moves in the whole deal. It's an exciting poker game."

Chandler adds, "We didn't have all the scripts starting out. They started coming in… it's not a slow burn. It goes from one world into another, and grows into that."

We already have one answer courtesy of the show's creatives. It's confirmed that Guy Gardner has Hal Jordan's ring as of the events of Superman. Good luck trying to get anything else out of them – it's among Sector 2814's biggest current secrets in the DCU.

Lanterns is available on HBO Max in the UK and Ireland.

For more, we have a list of the main suspects who could have killed Hal Jordan.

Then, we shine a light on DC's bright future with our guide to DCU Chapter One.

John Stewart actor Aaron Pierre says filming Lanterns for over 100 days prepared him for taking the next step in the DCU in 2027's Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow .

"For me, what was an enormous gift was having those eight hours of HBO [television] to live with before going onto Man of Tomorrow," Pierre tells GamesRadar+ of his DCU bow as rookie Lantern-in-training John Stewart.

It wasn't just the canvas of eight hours of television on which Pierre could paint. He embodied John Stewart across almost all of production, an opportunity he cherished – and offered a chance to build out the character.

"I was on the phone to [showrunner] Chris Mundy the other day. He was like, 'Congratulations, man. You filmed for 106 days out of 112.' Just on that note, to have 106 days with a character before going on in the DC cinematic universe is a gift. That is not a given. I am very grateful I had that," Pierre said.

On how his time on Lanterns shaped his Man of Tomorrow performance, Pierre added, "That's just the way it worked out. I don't know how intentional it was or wasn't, but I'm forever grateful for that. It allowed me to step onto the Man of Tomorrow set with a deep understanding of who my man John is."

Pierre is joining a Man of Tomorrow cast which is a mega-DCU crossover in all but name. The Superman follow-up stars David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult from the core cast; Mr. Terrific actor Edi Gathegi, Guy Gardner's Nathan Fillion, Hawkgirl's Isabela Merced, as well as Supergirl's Milly Alcock, Lars Eidinger's Brainiac, and Blue Beetle actor Xolo Maridueña.

Despite John Stewart bridging the gap between Lanterns and Man of Tomorrow, showrunner Chris Mundy told SFX that he wasn't given a mandate on where to leave off with the character by the show's season finale.

"We weren't tasked with having any specific landing point, which was great for us because it gave us freedom to land the story where we wanted to land the story," Mundy said. "But John will be part of the greater DC Universe. That was good for us to know. And where we land him is somewhere that they're happy with us landing him and somewhere they can take him, if they want."

Lanterns is available exclusively on HBO Max in the UK and Ireland.

For more, check out the Lanterns release schedule and everything else coming your way as part of DCU Chapter One.

Lanterns may have only just begun on HBO Max, but the new DC story has already started planting major Easter eggs. In the opening episode, one viewer spotted a tease for an iconic Batman villain lurking in plain sight.

Towards the end of the first episode, a poster for Janus Cosmetics can be seen behind John Stewart (Aaron Pierre). Alongside the logo is a picture of a woman's face covered partially by black feathers. Those who know their Batman villains well will recognise the name of Janus Cosmetics as the brand that's owned by Roman Sionis, whose alter ego is the Black Mask. Check out the moment below.

First introduced in the DC comics back in the '80s, the Black Mask is a Gotham City crime lord and founder of the False Face Society. After his company fell into ruin and he had to accept a bailout from Wayne Enterprises, Sionis was driven mad by revenge, targeting Bruce Wayne in a series of attacks.

If this Easter egg is teasing the character's introduction, this wouldn't be the first time we've seen them on screen. He's appeared in the animated series The Batman as well as in Birds of Prey, where he is played by Ewan McGregor.

We haven't yet met James Gunn's version of Batman, but we do know that the character is still set to be introduced in the next few years. Lanterns features the biggest tease yet for the iconic character and we wouldn't be surprised if a few more Easter eggs may be hiding in the remaining episodes of the show.

Lanterns airs weekly on HBO Max and NOW. Check out our Lanterns release schedule to make sure you don't miss a moment as well as our Lanterns review for what we think of the show.