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.

Searching for something to stream this weekend? There's nothing worse than mindlessly scrolling through the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus, and Prime Video and seeing your free time melt away as you decide what to watch. There's so much choice, and so few hours in the day.

That's where we come in. At GamesRadar+, we curate a new selection of fresh streaming delights every single week, just for you. Forget your tired old watchlist: these are the latest and greatest movies and shows coming to streaming this weekend, with everything from Robert De Niro-led thrillers to sci-fi and superhero series all accounted for.

So, read on down below for the new shows and movies streaming at the end of August on Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video, and more. If you're eager for more, we also have guides on the best Apple TV shows and best Apple TV movies to ensure you're making the most of your subscription.

The Whisper Man

Available: US/UK

Where to watch: Netflix

Whisper it quietly, but Adam Scott has put together a string of great performances in unnerving projects as of late: Severance and Hokum are terror-inducing for very different reasons, and The Whisper Man could add to it.

Scott plays a widowed crime writer who enlists the help of retired detective Pete Willis (Robert De Niro) after his son is abducted. What could be an open-and-shut case soon spirals out into a larger connection linked to a serial killer known as The Whisper Man.

With the producing might of the Russos behind it, and a stacked cast that features the likes of Michelle Monaghan, Michael Keaton (!), and Hamish Linklater, this will likely shoot right to the top of your watchlist this weekend. It looks suitably unsettling and, as summer turns to fall, the perfect starting point for those who like to get into the Halloween mood a little earlier than most.

For more, check out the best Netflix movies to watch right now.

Dark Matter season 2

Available: Apple TV

Where to watch: US/UK

Apple TV's library is filled with sleeper hits – and Dark Matter is no exception. The mind-bending sci-fi series, starring Joel Edgerton, sees a physicist named Jason kidnapped and sent to an alternate world, one where he invented multiverse travel.

Multiverse shenanigans, inevitably, followed – including multiple versions of the same character, and some killer twists along the way. The second season picks up where the first left off, as Jason and his family settle into a new reality.

Of course, it doesn't stay settled for long. Now it's gone past the source material, creator Blake Crouch said it offered up the potential for more narrative freedom.

At SDCC, he told us, "Once we jumped over that initial hurdle, it was totally freeing because we weren't locked into things that the book demanded us to do. So we got to follow our fancy a little bit more and write a few episodes that would never have existed in season 1."

We also have an interview with Dark Matter season 2 producer Matt Tolmach on how the Apple show is handling the multiverse differently from Marvel.

Adults season 2

Available: US/UK

Where to watch: Hulu/Disney Plus

Growing up now is a lot different to growing up in the sitcom heyday of the '90s. While Friends and Seinfeld are undoubtedly timeless comedies, they never quite scratch the itch of just how suffocating it can be simply existing as a twentysomething in today's world.

So, thank goodness for Adults returning for a second season. With last season's marriage mayhem, there are plenty of new horizons for our gang to tiptoe towards – and sticky situations for them to wriggle their way out of. Charlie Cox is also reprising his role as Mr. Teacher, in case you needed another reason to tune in.

Need some viewing inspiration? Here are the best Disney Plus movies.

The Last Sunrise

Available: US/UK

Where to watch: Prime Video

Need a good cry this weekend? The Last Sunrise has got you covered.

The romantic drama follows Ry (Maia Reficco), a student with a chronic illness who finds an escape in a Spanish trip. She soon falls for one of the locals, but her health and – according to the synopsis – long-hidden family secrets could put an end to her sun-kissed dreams.

Here are the best Prime Video shows to watch right now.

Lanterns episode 3

Available: US/UK

Where to watch: HBO Max

Lanterns is piling mysteries on top of mysteries. Already, Hal Jordan has bitten the bullet and lost his Power Ring in the 2026 timeline. Back in Rushville circa 2016, a Manhunter is on the loose – but no one can be quite sure who it is, thanks to their shape-shifting abilities.

The trailer for the third episode has already hinted that this is going to be a John Stewart-centric affair, potentially diving into his origins and how he found himself playing a reluctant second fiddle to Hal. But with the likes of Damon Lindelof as part of the creative team, don't expect a straightforward journey.

We also have a round-up of the best HBO Max shows, should you require it.

Need more? Check out our list of the best movies on Paramount Plus.

One of the standouts of the brilliant Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was Daniel Ings' Ser Lyonel Baratheon. Known in George R.R. Martin's novellas as the Laughing Storm, his flamboyant portrayal won over viewers, leading to him to become a fan-favorite of the HBO Max series.

Unfortunately, it seems like he won't be a part of the upcoming second season of the show, as his character does not return again. Speaking to the Radio Times, Ings was asked if he'd be up for coming back.

"Oh, man, I'd love to," he told the publication. "Unfortunately, he's not in any more of the stories that George R.R. Martin has written so far, and our showrunner, Ira Parker, is sticking closely to those. There is a famous duel in the future [according to Game of Thrones lore]. Maybe I'll be 60 by that time! Whatever happens, I'd love to put in Lyonel’s little dangly earring again because he's such a fun character."

At least Lyonel's line lives on as the great-grandfather to Robert, Stannis, and Renly Baratheon in the main Game of Thrones show, even if they don't quite share the same wit…

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 will see the return of Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan 'Dunk' the Tall and Dexter Sol Ansell as Prince Aegon 'Egg' Targaryen. Consisting of six episodes once again, the second season will adapt Martin's second Dunk & Egg novella, 'The Sworn Sword.'

Filming has reportedly already wrapped on the show, which is expected to release in 2027. For more on all things Westeros, check out our guide to upcoming Game of Thrones TV shows and movies.

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.

Superman's Lex Luthor star Nicholas Hoult has dropped out of the second season of HBO's Harry Potter series, but he has already been replaced by Game of Thrones' Jon Snow actor Kit Harington.

Harington is joining Harry Potter season 2 as Gilderoy Lockhart, as per Deadline. The fantasy star is taking over the role from Hoult, who was cast less than two weeks ago. Hoult stepped away from the show due to scheduling issues, with HBO letting him out of his deal as the show would've had to work around two other projects.

Introduced in the second Harry Potter book, Lockhart is a famous author and wizard, hired by Professor Dumbledore to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. However, the boastful and charming public figure is not as he seems, as Potter and co soon find he has dark connections. The character was brought to the screen by Kenneth Branagh in the 2002 movie Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

However, Harington has technically played the character before. The star voices Lockhart in the Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions audiobooks released last November. The audiobooks contain the voices of over 500 actors, including Matthew Macfadyen as Voldemort, Riz Ahmed as Snape, Michelle Gomez as Professor McGonagall, and more.

Earlier this year, Audible shared a snippet of Harington on YouTube, in the recording booth as the narcissistic wizard, as part of a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the book. The clip has since been posted on Twitter, which you can watch below. The star is also a long-time Harry Potter fan. "This is a world I am heavily invested in," said Harington. "To be able to play, in my opinion, one of the best characters in it was a joy."

Season 2 is set to start filming this fall, following Potter's return to Hogwarts after a terrifying monster is unleashed in the school. Season 2 will take place the summer after season 1, which adapts Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and follows Potter's first year at Hogwarts after finding out he is a wizard. The series stars Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Nick Frost as Hagrid, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall.

Harry Potter season 1 hits HBO and HBO Max on Christmas Day. For more, check out our ranking of the Harry Potter movies, and keep up with new TV shows on the way.

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.

If you're looking for the best new shows and movies to stream this weekend, you've come to the right place. It's a relatively quiet week for white-hot new releases, though new episodes of Lanterns and Reacher season 4 are still airing weekly. However, it is a great week for under-the-radar shows and movies that you may have missed earlier in the year finally coming to streaming.

From horror film Passenger, which went largely ignored amid the obsession with Obsession earlier this year, to A24's Mother Mary, which is destined to be the least-seen Anne Hathaway movie of the year despite featuring one of her best performances, now is the perfect time to catch up. There's also a fascinating new Disney doc, with contributions from some of the world's biggest filmmakers, including Kevin Feige and James Cameron.

So read on for our picks of the best new streaming releases to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney Plus and more. And if that wasn't enough, we've also got some guides to the best Apple TV shows and the best Apple TV movies to keep you entertained this summer.

Passenger

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Paramount Plus

This high-concept horror had the bad luck of releasing one week after Obsession, so not many caught it in theaters despite a buzzy trailer scaring the pants off people. So now's the perfect chance to catch up.

Directed by Trollhunter's André Øvredal, it's about a couple who stop at the scene of an accident on the road, only to later realize that they've picked up a demonic hitchhiker. Hate it when that happens!

In the mood for more? Check out our list of the best movies on Paramount Plus.

Mother Mary

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max

After The Odyssey, The End of Oak Street, and The Devil Wears Prada 2, the year of Anne Hathaway continues with Mother Mary. The A24 movie is now streaming on HBO Max after a stint in cinemas earlier this year. But given it made a little over $3 million worldwide in theaters, chances are it will fare better on streaming.

More Black Swan than Vox Lux, Hathaway stars as the eponymous musical artist who reunites with her costume designer (Michaela Coel) ahead of a comeback tour, until the movie takes a hard left turn towards the supernatural. Reviews were divisive, but director David Lowery is the kind of filmmaker who's always worth checking out.

Once you've watched Mother Mary, here are the best movies on HBO Max.

Is God Is

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Prime Video

Don't be fooled by the title; this isn't Angel Studios' latest faith-based movie. Rather, it's a pretty dark Southern Gothic horror-thriller about twin sisters who want revenge against their own father for disfiguring them as children.

Despite the very heavy premise, it's a movie with a streak of pitch-black comedy running through it, so it isn't a total mood-killer. And it has a striking sense of style, marking writer-director Aleshea Harris out as one to watch. Janelle Monáe, Vivica A. Fox and Sterling K. Brown co-star.

Keep movie night going with our list of the best movies on Prime Video.

The Audacity

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

This dark comedy series about an increasingly unhinged tech CEO isn't brand new; it premiered on AMC+ in April. But now that it's made the jump to Netflix, it's opened an under-the-radar show up to a much wider audience.

Creator Jonathan Glatzer previously worked on the likes of Succession, Better Call Saul, and Bad Sisters, so top credentials. Billy Magnussen stars, with Zach Galifianakis and Barry's Sarah Goldberg among the impressive supporting cast. And the good news is, it's already been renewed for season 2.

Fill out your watchlist with our guide to the best shows on Netflix.

Disney Worldbuilders

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Disney Plus

This hour-long doc about Disney's theme parks may sound like an elaborate advert to make you hand over more money to the Disney Corporation. But there's a little more to it that makes it worth checking out, even if you wouldn't be caught dead at Disney World.

James Cameron, Jon Favreau, Kevin Feige, Pete Docter, and Dave Filoni are among the contributors who discuss, yes, Disney theme parks. But more than that, it's about the creative spark that inspired them to become storytellers, so expect some compelling foundational stories.

Find plenty more to watch with our list of the best movies on Disney Plus.

For what else is coming out this year, check out our guide to all the upcoming movies you need to know about.

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.

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.

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.

It's been nearly 10 months since It: Welcome to Derry premiered, and HBO Max has finally given it the green light for season 2.

HBO released a brief teaser, which you can watch below, that takes us all the way back to 1935... as season 1 took place in 1962 and It returns to Derry every 27 years (though keep in mind that this timeline is adjusted from the Stephen King novel in order for It to die in a more modern 2016, rather than 1985). Andy Muschietti has plans for two more seasons of the hit prequel series, which means a third season would take us even further back to 1908. We can expect this season to focus on the bloody massacre of the Bradley Gang, whose lore was touched on in the first season (and you know you've always wanted to see Pennywise dressed like a gangster holding a machine gun).

The series explores the origins of It and how he came to take on his favorite persona, which is none other than Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Season 1 holds an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviews skewing mostly positive, with others taking issue with changes in lore, pacing, and how many times we actually see Pennywise in the show. Creator Andy Muschietti previously said that the new season will get even darker (as if the first season wasn't dark enough), and won't shy away from real-life topics i.e. The Great Depression and racial injustice.

It: Welcome to Derry season 2 does not yet have a release date. For more, check out our guide to the best shows on HBO, and keep up with new TV shows on the way.

DCU overseer James Gunn has defended the cinematic universe from complaints about tonal whiplash, especially in the wake of Lanterns' gritty murder mystery premiere.

A fan on Threads raised a common concern for those who have been on the ground floor since DCU: Chapter One launched with Creature Commandos.

They wrote, "As an 'Elseworlds' story, this first episode of Lanterns is way better than the conceit of 'True Detective meets DCU'. That said—and along with Supergirl, Creature Commandos, and the upcoming Clayface movie—I can’t comprehend this slate toward building a shared narrative universe."

Gunn, not one to keep his social media six-shooter in its holster, disagreed. He replied: "In the same way DC comics have. Certainly the DC works of Alan Moore, Darwyn Cooke, Grant Morrison, Jack Kirby, Paul Dini & Tom King can't be considered "of one tone". For me & others raised on DC comics, a huge part of the fun was enjoying a variety of stories in various genres & seeing inventive ways these tones interacted & interwove. For some of the authors - notably Moore & Morrison (& Tom King in Strange Adventures and more) that tonal interweaving became a part of the stories themselves."

While it certainly hasn't mirrored the MCU in terms of building out a universe using a tried-and-tested formula of superhero movies, there can be no doubt that the DCU has been ambitious – and attempting to appeal to a large cross-section of genre fans.

We've already had weird and wonderful animation (Creature Commandos), an anarchic season of television filled with parallel dimensions (Peacemaker season 2), a big-budget blockbuster (Superman), a flawed hero navigating the cosmos (Supergirl) and, now, Lanterns, a more intimate, grounded crime drama featuring characters who normally go big and bold with their superpowers. Body horror is also on the menu, too, with Clayface later this year.

Whatever your take, it appears that Lanterns is a hit with fans. It's currently sitting at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. Our own Lanterns review was effusive in its praise, stating, "The DCU is back on track. Lanterns is 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 to ensure DC's superhero rivals will turn green with envy."

Lanterns, starring Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler, sees rookie John Stewart team with Green Lantern veteran Hal Jordan to investigate a murder with possibly extraterrestrial culprits. The first episode also includes a shock cliffhanger and a fresh whodunnit. We have a list of suspects here but, be warned, spoilers are within.

For more, here's how to watch the DC movies in order. If you're still not on board with the Green Lantern series, here's what to watch before Lanterns.

Unlike other heroes who fight using tech or magic, the Green Lanterns are powered solely by their imagination. Yet HBO's new show Lanterns is so imaginative that many fans have pushed back against it, outraged by the shocking changes it's made to the Green Lantern mythos. And that was before the premiere ended with an even more surprising twist that's sure to rile people up further.

The controversy started early on when it was revealed that Lanterns would be more grounded in its approach. Eschewing most of the space-led antics, this version of the story was sold as a True Detective-style buddy cop show where Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) teaches John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) what it means to be a Green Lantern.

Much of the first episode unfolds exactly like that. There's very little action to speak of, especially of the superhero variety. When the ring is used, it's only to make a bottle opener or a protective bubble. Even when Jordan flies, there's no signature green aura that fans are familiar with from the comics.

None of that is necessarily a bad thing, however. 2011's atrocious Green Lantern film served as a strong warning against anyone who might lean too far into the cosmic elements of this franchise without considering the humanity that underpins it. Lanterns simply swings super far the other way, putting a new spin on this decades-old story.

Such an approach worked extremely well for HBO's adaptation of Watchmen, which Lanterns co-creator Damon Lindelof also worked on. And just like that acclaimed series, the first episode of this new DC show also makes some significant changes, especially when it comes to the fate of its central character.

Note: major spoilers for Lanterns episode 1 follow.

Hal on Earth

After Jordan and Stewart spend most of the premiere hunting for aliens in Rushville, Nebraska, the final scenes jump from 2016 to 2026, where we meet an older version of John as he returns to the town 10 years later. Or, what's left of the town.

Driving past wreckage in the dead of night, Stewart reunites with Kerry (Kelly Macdonald), who still appears to be working as the Sheriff of Rushville. The pair briefly exchange small talk, and then John asks Kerry if anyone else knows… That's when we see Hal frozen outside, and it's clear that he's actually dead.

Yep, Hal Jordan, Earth's first Green Lantern (in the DCU), is already killed off by the end of episode one.

As shocking as this might be, it won't have come as a surprise to everyone.

Prior to the release of Lanterns, some major leaks predicted this exactly, even citing the two timelines and Hal's different involvement in them. It didn't help that HBO's legal team asked various people reporting on the leak to stop sharing it and take the information down, which seemed to confirm that the leak was indeed true.

The news enraged a lot of fans at the time, and it will undoubtedly enrage them further now that Jordan's death in the show has played out for real. And honestly, it's easy to see why.

Hal Jordan hasn't exactly fared well on screen up until this point. Unlike other DC stalwarts, Green Lantern was skipped over by Zack Snyder's Justice League, presumably because of budgetary concerns and just how poorly Jordan's live-action debut in 2011 fared.

Finally giving Hal a chance to shine on screen, only to kill him off so quickly doesn't feel fair for fans who have loved this character over the decades. In many ways, Jordan is the definitive Green Lantern, which makes his sudden death even more surprising.

Green Light

However, there is something to be said for just how ballsy this twist is. If it weren't for that leak, no one would have expected this in a million years. And when it comes to source material this long-lived, isn't this exactly what we want from new adaptations? A fresh new perspective to shake things up?

By reframing a galactic superhero story into a murder mystery of sorts, Lanterns refuses to play it safe, tackling a notoriously tricky franchise with a daring new spin. It's also gratifying to see John Stewart take the spotlight he's long deserved. The character, one of the most prominent Black superheroes ever created, was first introduced all the way back in 1971, yet aside from his role in the noughties Justice League cartoon, he's often still sidelined when it comes to adaptations onscreen.

And crucially, it's not like we've been robbed of Jordan completely. With so much of this first season taking place in the past, Hal will still be extremely prominent throughout the main noughties arc, not to mention the "Halogram" who channels his essence still (presumably beyond death).

It's also worth noting that superheroes rarely stay dead for long. Hal himself was actually killed off in the comics after he became the villain Parallax and ended up sacrificing himself to save the galaxy. It took a few years for him to eventually return and resume the mantle of Green Lantern in the comics.

That's not to say Chandler's live-action Hal will have necessarily died so heroically. The point is we still don't know what's actually happened to him just yet. And therein lies the real mystery of the show. Stewart isn't just investigating an extraterrestrial case alongside Jordan. He's also investigating what happened to Jordan to cause his death, ten years on.

It's an unusual setup for a Green Lantern show, and an extremely imaginative one at that. What remains to be seen is whether Lanterns can stick the landing and justify such a cataclysmic twist, not just to the fans who instantly balk at such a choice, but for those of us who are actually open to seeing where this adventurous spin on the show might take us.

Lanterns episode 1 is streaming now on HBO Max in the US and UK, and also on NOW in the UK. For more, check out our Lanterns review, and never miss an episode with our Lanterns release schedule.

Dead bodies. Danger. A small-town conspiracy. A grizzled vet and a plucky upstart trying to crack the case.

Stop me if you've heard this one before.

At first glance, Lanterns treads old, murderous ground in the 'backwater' of Rushville, Nebraska after a mass shooting at a high school football game. The grimy tendrils of True Detective, Top of the Lake, and even Fargo stretch out in familiar fashion across the grounded superhero detective show's first seven episodes.

But then, a flash of green light and we're suddenly stepping into the territory of two sets of three letters: HBO and – perhaps more intriguingly for comic book fans and crime aficionados alike – the DCU.

Those hungry for a prestige procedural, as fans of the channel that brought us The Wire and Mare of Easttown can rest easy, even if they may be quick to raise an eyebrow over its DC trappings.

The origins of the incumbent Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler, in superbly irascible form throughout) – essentially a space cop, with jurisdiction over Earth in 'Sector 2814' – are wisely breezed over in favor of Lanterns' magnetic not-so-buddy-buddy cop dynamic.

Hal, world-weary and just as quick with a vicious barb as he is at manifesting green-hued matter through his Lantern ring, has been in the job for decades by the time we meet him in 2016. There, he descends on a town filled with upstanding law enforcement, suspicious benefactors, and a John Dutton-esque patriarch in the shape of Garrett Dillahunt's fearsome cowboy William Macon.

In Hal's rear-view mirror is his trainee: hungry young lion John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), all restless charisma and eager to prove he's more than a "backup quarterback."

In brightest day...

A promising premise if ever there was one, only bolstered by an all-star creative team (Ozark's Chris Mundy, Watchmen and The Leftovers' Damon Lindelof, and comic book legend Tom King) injecting the sort of narrative momentum that puts most glacially-paced miniseries to shame.

In Lanterns, cliffhangers are sudden and meaningful. Each episode ends on a beat that will make the week-long gap between new entries excruciating and exciting in equal measure.

The plot, too, moves with such immediacy that you'll scarcely have time to take in the vivid and sharply-drawn wider cast, including Kelly Macdonald as the perma-conflicted Sheriff Kane and Laura Linney as a matter-of-fact Guardian of the Universe pulling strings in the background (not to be confused with James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy, it should be said).

One mid-season episode could even be mistaken for a finale; such is the speed the investigation – which soon introduces an alien race familiar to DC fans – unspools and later resolves itself.

Thrillingly, the writers appear to have thrown plot armor to the wayside, too. Rushville is a nasty, odd, and lethal place to live – and Lanterns makes that known at every turn.

It's a brave and bold approach which, from the jump, turns this DC adventure from a twist on standard comic book fare into HBO's most dangerous show since Boardwalk Empire or classic Game of Thrones. At any given juncture, no one is safe, and Big Moments can happen at any time.

But this isn't just about the crime; it's mostly about the characters. In Hal Jordan and John Stewart, Lanterns couldn't have chosen a better pairing. It also ensures any danger of the HBO series falling into comfortable, uninspired genre rhythms is soon swept away in favor of exploring the fiery side to the duo's relationship – and a shared history that, admittedly, dilutes the uniqueness of how Green Lanterns are chosen. More on that in a moment.

Not only does the pair being at constant loggerheads scratch the Rust Cohle and Marty Hart itch we've been clamoring for ever since True Detective's first season, it skilfully turns expectations on what a hero truly is in this fledgling universe on its head.

This isn't Superman's good-natured intentions, nor is it a flawed Supergirl or Guy Gardner's cocky bluster. Lanterns teases something far richer, the sort of emotional complexities that can only be drawn out by spending eight hours with our protagonists. There are even shades of Damon Lindelof's Watchmen in how Lanterns subtly confronts deep-rooted race issues in America alongside Hal's rapidly decaying sense of self-worth.

...in darkest night

Yet, it's not all perfect. There are times, particularly in an oddly-placed third episode that over-explains John Stewart's backstory, where Lanterns loses faith in itself and attempts to outwit an imaginary comic book audience.

In a series of events that will likely rankle with a dyed-in-the-wool DC pack, Green Lanterns lore is twisted, reframing John's lay-up of a hero's journey as a faintly unpalatable 'destiny' that robs him of most agency and comes dangerously close to a dual act of character assassination for both John and Hal, who also has an indirect part to play in John's childhood.

Those misdemeanors, though, are mild and don't derail the show – even if the lack of faith partially betrays Lanterns' primary mission of frontloading narrative shocks amid a surprisingly restrained use of CGI and color.

Yes, let's talk about the green elephant in the room. No, Lanterns is not a wide-eyed spectacle that looks like it's leapt off the pages of Geoff Johns' classic Green Lantern run. Its palette is frequently brown, muddy, and muted. Nor does it come close to approaching cosmic territory, save for a sprinkling of Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen) that feels almost unfair in both how good it is and how infrequently the DC supervillain is deployed.

But does it matter? Absolutely not. This is, in many ways, a deliberate departure from 2011's Green Lantern movie. Not that you'll be thinking about the Ryan Reynolds bomb here. You'll be too busy getting lost in a captivating mystery, drenched in subtle character work and wrapped around a masterful Hal/John dynamic that almost begs to be wrung dry across multiple seasons.

Dead bodies. Danger. A small-town conspiracy. You know the rest. Yes, we've been here before. Lanterns, though, is a fascinating blend of comic book caper and murder mystery. Its core pairing of Hal Jordan and John Stewart – despite some controversial deviations from their traditional origins – crackles with tension and genuine physical threat in a manner that feels novel to both the superhero genre and the many detective shows it successfully emulates.

Better yet, it's a confident story being told at a time when the foundations of the DCU are at their shakiest. After all, Supergirl faltered big time at the box office, and James Gunn's post-Man of Tomorrow plans have not yet materialized. The DCU needed this win.

Whether it's in brightest day or blackest night for the DCU, Lanterns is guaranteed to be a shining beacon of light among its superhero TV contemporaries – and close to essential viewing, whether you're a DC fan or otherwise.

Lanterns airs on HBO and HBO Max Sunday, August 16 in the US and on HBO Max in the UK on August 17.

For more on what that means for you, check out our Lanterns release schedule.

One thing has really stood out in all of the trailers for upcoming DC show Lanterns so far, and that's Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan suited up. We've had a brief look at him in the Green Lantern suit in the early clips, and it looks pretty incredible.

However, it turns out that this was a pretty late addition to the series. Speaking on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, Chandler revealed: "So they weren't sure whether there was going to be a suit as I understand it. Then towards the end they decide let's have a suit. Then they had to design a suit, they came up with three different designs."

The actor went on to describe how the costume designers created the final piece, which he described as having "battle scars on it." He added: "It's an incredible suit, they built something that was just incredible. It took a while, it was in pieces. It took about 45 minutes to get it on."

The choice was clearly made to make sure the Green Lantern suit looked authentic too, given the backlash to Ryan Reynolds' CGI version in the panned 2011 movie. Lanterns takes place in a much more grounded reality as it combines the superhero genre with crime noir.

It follows Jordan as he teams up with a new recruit, Aaron Pierre's John Stewart, to solve a mysterious case in small-town America, which they believe has cosmic implications.

Lanterns begins on August 16 on HBO Max in the US and August 17 on NOW in the UK. For more, check out our Lanterns release schedule and our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and shows.

The first season of new DCU show Lanterns hasn't even hit HBO yet, but there is already talk of a second season.

At the Lanterns premiere, ScreenRant asked co-creator Damon Lindelof if he has plans for Lanterns season 2. "If it's successful and people love it, there's a lot of runway to launch into future seasons," said Lindelof. "But I think Chris Mundy has already started a new writers' room, figuring out what new stories could be for Lanterns."

Although he didn't reveal what season 2 might entail, Lindelof did list several actors he would want to see in the next installment, including Watchmen star Regina King, The Leftovers actors Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon, and Wonder Man himself. "I worked with a great actor, Yahya Abdul Mateen II, who would be great," said Lindelof. "He was already in the old version of the DCU. He played the bad guy in the Aquaman movies."

There have been rumblings of Lanterns season 2 this week, after the series landed a new co-showrunner ahead of a possible second outing. According to The Ankler, comic writer and producer Christopher Cantwell has joined as co-showrunner alongside Chris Mundy. However, Lanterns has yet to receive an official renewal from HBO or DC Studios.

It seems that anything is possible in the DCU right now, as DCU: Chapter One has undergone a massive shake-up. On August 12, it was reported that upcoming DC shows Waller and Wonder Woman series Paradise Lost had been scrapped. But Booster Gold, which has been hit with cancellation rumors, remains in development.

However, Lindelof admits that when he approached Lanterns, he only had the first season on his mind. "We came into this with the sort of attitude that this was a mystery with a beginning, middle, and end," said the long-time DC collaborator. "We had a story to tell about characters that we really cared about, and we would want the audience to kind of get to know them over the course of the first season and really invest in them, and then that story ended."

Lanterns follows Green Lantern and intergalactic cop Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and his trainee John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as they investigate a mysterious murder. The season is set across two timelines in 2016 and 2026, and also stars Kelly Macdonald as a local sheriff, Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, and Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner.

Lanterns hits HBO Max on August 16. See our Lanterns release schedule for exact timings. For more, keep up with upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.

With the DCU being in its infancy, it's absolutely true that there isn't a lot to watch before Lanterns. This isn't the MCU, with its hours of streaming 'homework' and other essential movies to catch up on before diving headlong into its newest release.

But if you're new to the DCU or to Green Lantern as a character, there are still multiple movies and shows we'd regard as either essential or recommend viewing. Not only will it ground you on who exactly Hal Jordan and John Stewart are before they make their in-universe bows, but our lists will also offer some much-needed context on the weirder and more cosmic side of the cinematic universe.

So, join us as we run through everything to watch before Lanterns. Then, take a look ahead to everything James Gunn and Peter Safran are cooking up as part of DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

The DCU essentials

Let's start with the DCU. While none of the current projects directly set up Lanterns, we would absolutely suggest starting with Superman if you haven't done so already.

Not only does it introduce another Green Lantern in Guy Gardner (so you can get to grips with his ego and skillset), but it also operates as an introduction to the DCU-at-large – and all the heroes that inhabit the world.

Even better, Superman's 2027 sequel, Man of Tomorrow, is confirmed to include Aaron Pierre's John Stewart. So becoming familiar with that side of the DCU is imperative before jumping onboard with Lanterns and, then, the next step in Stewart's story.

Elsewhere, Creature Commandos and Supergirl are perfect primers for fans who aren't aware of DC's zanier, more cosmic side. This isn't all Batman battering goons, you know. Creature Commandos has an eclectic cast of characters that fall right in line with the wider roster of Green Lanterns, including a living planet and a squirrel (yes, really).

While Lanterns appears to be a grounded detective drama, it may yet shoot for the stars. This year's Supergirl was another adventure among the cosmos, so is well worth seeking out too.

Green Lantern: The Animated Series

The DCU isn't the only time Hal Jordan has been on the screen. 2010s show Green Lantern: The Animated Series follows Jordan in a starbound adventure, which should give you a taste of exactly who Hal is and how he works both solo and as part of the Green Lantern Corps.

Justice League Unlimited

John Stewart has been around in the comics for decades, but Justice League and its follow-up DCAU (DC Animated Universe) series Justice League Unlimited put Stewart on the map in a big way.

The nature of the series (and the superhero group) means it's more of an ensemble piece, but there are plenty of Green Lantern-adjacent and John Stewart-centric episodes to watch. We would recommend season 1 episode 'Hunter's Moon' and season 3's 'Far From Home'.

HBO Max in the US also has other animated projects, including Green Lantern: Beware My Power and Emerald Knights.

For more, check out how to watch the DC movies in order.

Matthew McConaughey has revealed that he turned down the role of Joel in HBO's The Last of Us TV show.

"I wasn’t really acting at that point," McConaughey told Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. "That was when I was doing more writing and looking at leadership roles in life. It was really good. I was excited. Correct me if I’m wrong, I’m not a huge TV watcher, we pulled off a real coup with True Detective at a time when series were not something that actors like myself or Woody Harrelson would hop over and go do. That one succeeded in a real royal fashion. Last of Us was really good but it wasn’t for me at the time."

The role ultimately went to Pedro Pascal, and effectively cemented his status as a household name. The TV series is based on the massively popular video game of the same name, which is set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by disease and follows an immune girl named Ellie who develops an unlikely father-daughter-esque bond with a morally gray man named Joel. Ellie is portrayed first as a 13-year-old in season 1, as the first season adapts the first game, and is 19 in season 2, which adapts the sequel.

The show, which premiered in 2023, has been nominated for countless Emmy and Golden Globe Awards, though it may be set to end after its third season (despite previous announcements of a fourth).

McConaughey was no doubt asked to play Joel after his award-winning performance in True Detective (and because Joel also has a southern accent), and while the casting would've made sense, it would've been a completely different show (and I would just spend every episode waiting for Harrelson to show up.)

The Last of Us season 3 is expected to premiere on HBO in 2027. For more, check out our guide to the best shows on HBO Max, and keep up with new TV shows on the way.

As we hit the midway point of August, there is still so much to enjoy on streaming. One of our most-anticipated shows of the year finally arrives this week, as Lanterns begins on HBO Max. The DCU show has a lot of buzz around it, and we can't wait to see the introduction of the classic comic book characters in James Gunn's universe.

That's not the only big show premiering this week either, with the hugely anticipated return of Reacher hitting Prime Video and the epic conclusion to X-Men '97. In terms of movies, there's plenty to pick from, with one of the best horrors of recent years arriving on Netflix as well as a special director's cut of The X-Files: I Want to Believe available too.

We're truly spoiled for choice with our picks of what to watch this weekend. Thankfully, our guide is here to help you navigate your streaming options and how to find them. Read on for our complete breakdown of the 5 best new shows and movies streaming this week on Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video, and more. And if that wasn't enough, we've also got some guides to the best Apple TV shows and the best Apple TV movies to keep you entertained this summer.

Lanterns

Available: US/UK
Where to Watch: HBO Max

After the mixed success of Supergirl, Lanterns is DC's newest shining hope as it hits HBO Max this weekend. Sitting in the prestigious Sunday night slot, the new weekly show follows the notorious intergalactic peacekeepers. Experienced Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) teams up with new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) to investigate a murder in Rushville, Nebraska.

Billed as a True Detective-style superhero story, the series is the next major project in the DCU. We've already met one Lantern in Guy Gardner, but the tone of this one will be much darker and more grounded. This is especially true given the talent behind the camera: Lost's Damon Lindelof, Chris Mundy, and Tom King. It's well worth a watch when it begins on August 16, whether you're a comic book fan or not.

For more, check out our round-up of the best shows on HBO Max to watch now.

Reacher season 4

Available: US/UK
Where to Watch: Prime Video

The big man is back. Reacher season 4 has started on Prime Video with new episodes of the action thriller dropping weekly. Alan Ritchson is back as Jack Reacher, punching his way through a new mission. This time he gets embroiled in a CIA conspiracy after witnessing a young woman take her own life on the subway. Neagely is out of the picture ahead of her spin-off show, but a new local detective (played by Sydelle Noel) proves to be a standout in the eight-part show.

Our own Reacher season 4 review admits that while it's not the "strongest installment" of the show, the fight scenes continue to "pack a punch". The future of the Reacher universe is set too, with a season 5 already in the works, meaning we'll be seeing plenty more of Ritchson's imposing former military police officer soon. While you're here, check out our Reacher season 4 set visit report too for everything we learned about the TV show.

Check out our guide to the best Amazon Prime shows for more essential viewing.

X-Men '97 season 2 finale

Available: US/UK
Where to Watch: Disney Plus

It's all led to this. X-Men '97 season 2 has finally come to an end with an explosive finale. The final episode of the beloved animated series features some major cameos, heartbreaking losses, and big surprises. Entitled 'Survival of the Fittest', episode nine focuses on Rogue as she races against time to try and save Gambit.

While the MCU's TV shows have had some mixed quality in the last few years, X-Men '97 has proved to be a standout. Great writing, solid character choices, and a lot of fun, the series should be a blueprint for tackling mutants in Marvel in live-action too. Once you've seen the final episode, check out our breakdown of the X-Men '97 season 2 post-credits scene and the X-Men '97 season 2 ending explained for what it all means for season 3.

Our list of the best Disney Plus shows is stacked with quality entertainment.

Immaculate

Available: US
Where to watch: Netflix

Sydney Sweeney's twisty horror Immaculate is now streaming on Netflix and is the perfect choice if you're after something gripping this weekend. It stars Sweeney as an American nun who begins a new life at a remote convent in the Italian countryside. However, strange things soon start to happen and she finds herself inexplicably pregnant.

Is it an immaculate conception or is something horrifying happening at this seemingly beautiful religious sanctuary? Alongside Sweeney, Money Heist's Álvaro Morte also stars as a charming priest in Michael Mohan's 90-minute thriller. It first came out in 2024 but is now streaming for subscribers on Netflix.

See what else we recommend with our guide to the best movies on Netflix.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Disney+/Hulu

As well as The X-Files: I Want to Believe arriving on Disney Plus this week, the streamer has also dropped a director's cut of the 2008 movie. Never seen before, this is an R-rated version from Chris Carter, which restores some of the horror elements removed from the original film.

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson return as Fox Mulder and Dana Scully in the movie, which takes place years after they stepped away from the FBI. They're drawn back in when a federal agent disappears without a trace, leading them into a mystery featuring a former priest and an unforgiving winter landscape. A must-watch ahead of the announced Ryan Coogler reboot.

Here's our round-up of the best movies on Disney Plus.

For what else is coming out this year, check out our guide to all the upcoming movies you need to know about.

After the events of House of the Dragon season 3, Rhaenyra and Daenerys Targaryen have a lot more in common than blonde hair and a love of all things dragons.

The current ruler on the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra, creeps into despot territory during the House of the Dragon season 3 ending, delivering a speech full of hubris – and mimicking Dany's centuries-later victory declaration outside the Red Keep as she aims to take the Iron Throne at King's Landing during Game of Thrones season 8.

As showrunner Ryan Condal reveals to Business Insider, those parallels were very much intentional, and acted as a means to connect the two HBO series.

"We're certainly aware of [the connection]," Condal said. "I think it's important that the show has echoes of the original series in it, in some ways, so that they remain connected. Because they are very much connected."

Condal continued, "This is the reason that Daenerys is begging for a crown across the Narrow Sea, and the dragons are all dead. Because of this story. So I think those connections are important to make to remind people that these two periods in history are intimately connected with one another."

So, the end cometh for one strand of the Targaryen family tree (something that Rhaenyra actor Emma D'Arcy agrees with) and provides a warning through history that will fall on deaf ears.

House of the Dragon season 4, meanwhile, is set to be the show's last.

For more, check out our guide on new TV shows currently in the works.

The first season of HBO's Harry Potter TV show hasn't even hit screens yet, but the second season is already adding new cast members fast, with the latest addition being Superman star Nicholas Hoult.

However, despite many fans believing that Hoult would suit up as the Dark Lord himself, Voldemort, Deadline has confirmed that the star will play villain and wizard Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter season 2. HBO later confirmed the news via Instagram, quoting the wizard, "Magical Me indeed. Now, how many autographs would you like?"

Lockhart is a major character in the second Harry Potter book, and was brought to the screen in the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets movie by Kenneth Branagh. In the Harry Potter universe, Lockhart is a famous author and wizard who is brought to Hogwarts by Professor Dumbledore in the Chamber of Secrets as a temporary Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. However, Potter and co soon find that Lockhart is not as capable he seems.

Season 2 is set to start filming this autumn and will adapt the second book. The Chamber of Secrets picks up the summer after The Philosopher's Stone. When term time begins, Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley head off to Hogwarts for their second year of schooling. However, when the Heir of Salazar Slytherin opens the Chamber of Secrets, a fearsome monster threatens the wizarding school, just as Dobby warned.

Season 1 is set to hit HBO and HBO Max this Christmas. The first installment will adapt the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which sees Harry enter the halls of Hogwarts for the first time after finding out he is a wizard. The series stars Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Alastair Stout as Ron, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, Nick Frost as Hagrid, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall.

It seems as though Hoult really is in his villain era, as before we see him bring Lockhart to life on the small screen, the star will return as Superman villain Lex Luthor in upcoming DCU Chapter One movie Man of Tomorrow. The Superman sequel premieres on July 9, 2027.

Harry Potter season 2 does not yet have a release date. For more, check out our ranking of the Harry Potter movies, and keep up with new TV shows on the way.

New Game of Thrones play The Mad King has pretty much revealed the identity of the Prince that was Promised – though with a major twist.

Warning, the following contains spoilers for the new play, so turn back now if you don't want to know the details!

GamesRadar+ attended a performance of Game of Thrones: The Mad King, and we were treated to a major lore revelation.

The Prince that was Promised prophecy has increasingly become a huge deal in the Game of Thrones universe, and it was revealed in House of the Dragon season 1 that Aegon the Conqueror foresaw the Long Night and the threat of the White Walkers – and that a Targaryen would need to be seated on the Iron Throne to combat the danger.

However, the true identity of the Prince that was Promised is somewhat murky. It seemed fairly obvious thanks to the TV show that it would end up being either Jon Snow or Daenerys Targaryen – with more signs pointing towards Jon, considering Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark are his parents – but ultimately, the Night King (an invention of the TV show) was defeated by Arya Stark.

The Mad King, however, has revealed more about the prophecy. King Aerys believes that the Prince that was Promised must be a third-born child, which explains the significance of "the dragon has three heads" (at least, as far as he interprets it, anyway). Rhaegar originally believes himself to be the Prince that was Promised, but, as a firstborn son, he is ruled out. He then believes his second-born child, a boy named Aegon, is the prophesied prince – though, when he declares this to be so, he sees Daenerys across time (Daenerys is in the House of the Undying Ones, watching the scene herself, as depicted in A Clash of Kings).

Later, after Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen run away to the Tower of Joy together, a red comet appears in the sky. Both Lyanna and Aerys believe this to be an omen, and so they both rush to conceive children.

Aerys's wife, Rhaella, is cruelly abused by her husband, and so as the Kinsguard arrive to take her to him, she declares that she does not wish to birth the prophesied prince, but rather the "scourge of the world" and "a vengeful daughter, whose wrath will return dragons and set the realm ablaze." She ultimately gives birth to Daenerys Targaryen.

Lyanna, meanwhile, gives birth to Jon Snow. In the play, he is not named Aegon, and Rhaegar and Lyanna also do not seem to be married, meaning he's still a bastard (there is some ambiguity here, however).

So, both Jon and Daenerys are third-born children, meaning they both fit the prophecy. There is one caveat, however: Rhaella had multiple stillborn children or children who died in infancy before Daenerys. But the play is pretty emphatic about both Jon and Dany being third children born under the red comet.

So, it would seem both Jon and Daenerys are the Prince that was Promised… or only one of them is, and the other is a red herring. George R.R. Martin has been clear before that only the books are canon, though he was involved in the play, so we can treat this as at least semi-canon. But, we won't know for sure until (or if) George R.R. Martin finishes his books.

Game of Thrones: The Mad King is playing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from now until September 5, 2026. For more on the play, check out our guide to 16 things we learned about Game of Thrones from The Mad King.

You can keep up to date with the world of Westeros with our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

It turns out Jon Snow's Game of Thrones season 8 plot might not be set in stone in George R.R. Martin's books, thanks to a major revelation in new play The Mad King.

Spoilers follow for Game of Thrones: The Mad King, so turn back now if you don't want to spoil the play!

GamesRadar+ attended a performance of the new play in the UK's Stratford-Upon-Avon, and we learned some very interesting news about Jon Snow that contradicts his TV show plot.

In the TV show, Jon is eventually revealed to be Aegon Targaryen, son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. The lovebirds actually got married, as witnessed by Bran Stark, and so Jon/Aegon is officially the true heir to the Iron Throne, displacing Daenerys in the Targaryen line of succession.

However, the play tells a very different story. While Jon is still the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna, crucially, the lovers are never actually seen to be formally married. There is some ambiguity here, however, because Elia Martell – Rhaegar's actual wife – makes reference to always being fine with the idea of Rhaegar taking a second wife: one for duty, and one for love. And, a time skip glosses over Rhaegar and Lyanna running away together, with Act 2 picking up with the couple already hidden away in the Tower of Joy. So, it's possible Rhaegar and Lyanna are considered wedded, but, either way, no wedding ceremony actually takes place onstage (personally, I didn't get the impression that they had married).

This means Jon is most likely still a bastard, with no official claim to the Iron Throne at all (though, as Rhaegar's son, he could still make some kind of claim for the crown). Even more importantly, though, is the fact that Lyanna does not actually name her son before dying in childbirth. In the TV show, she told her brother Ned Stark that her son's name was Aegon. In the play, Ned chooses to name the baby Jon after Jon Arryn of the Vale, who fostered Ned and Robert Baratheon as children.

All of this lends credence to the theory that the TV show blended elements of Jon Snow's storyline with Young Griff, AKA Aegon Targaryen – who claims to be the second-born son of Rhaegar (with his wife Elia), thought murdered by the Mountain during the sack of King's Landing but actually swapped with another child and saved. While there's plenty of evidence in Martin's books to suggest Young Griff is a fraud, it still hasn't been confirmed either way. If Young Griff is who he says he is, then he is the true heir to the Iron Throne – and he's named Aegon.

Young Griff was cut from the TV show, so it wouldn't be a huge surprise if Jon Snow did end up absorbing some of his plot. What exactly that means for Jon remains to be seen, since, in the TV show, his heritage didn't end up being that big of a deal.

But, this all comes with the caveat that Martin has said before that only the books are canon. Martin was involved with The Mad King, however, so we can probably take the play as a semi-canon source with as much legitimacy as the TV show. Ultimately, we won't know for sure until (or if) Martin finishes the books. Here's hoping The Winds of Winter comes soon...

Game of Thrones: The Mad King is playing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from now until September 5, 2026. For more on the play, check out our guide to 16 things we learned about Game of Thrones from The Mad King.

You can keep up to date with the world of Westeros with our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal has revealed why, unlike George R.R. Martin's works, the HBO show leaves the Prince That Was Promised prophecy very much out in the open.

Warning, the following contains mild spoilers for the House of the Dragon season 3 finale. Turn back now if you haven't caught up, but make sure to read our House of the Dragon season 3 episode 8 review first.

There has been a lot of talk of The Prince that Was Promised in House of the Dragon. The prophecy comes from Aegon the Conqueror's Dream, which foretold that many years after the death of all dragons, one Targaryen prince would wake the beasts and defeat an evil force from the Long Night.

In Martin's works, the prophecy is kept secret. But in the season 3 finale, Rhaenyra announces it to the world. In a bid to gain the support of the smallfolk and justify her legitimacy, the Queen announces, "I am The Prince That Was Promised!" (admittedly, in High Valyrian, but the cat is already out of the bag before that). However, Condal has his reasons for this.

"It's something that is certainly not in the book, and it's not in the history, but there is a bunch of talk about how Rhaenyra became very despotic and became a tyrant at the end and was very unpopular with the people," explained Condal in a House of the Dragon season 3 press conference attended by GamesRadar+. The showrunner said that this could well have happened, but because she doesn't outright reveal Aegon's dream, and as no one really knows what she is talking about, it wouldn't have made historical record.

"But my sort of toss-off from the historians is 'Oh well, Targaryens say crazy shit all the time'" said Condal, jokingly, adding that the townsfolk probably thought that Rhaenyra was just trying to prove her legitimacy once again. So, why include it at all? "We wanted something that felt like a real seismic change, a sea change in Rhaenyra's relationship to her people," added Condal. The statement also ties in to the shocking murder Rhaenyra is responsible for right before. You can read our House of the Dragon season 3 ending explained for more on that.

"This old Valyrian faith of dragons and fire gods and blood magic, and pronouncing herself as the chosen one, the leader that is going to take them through the fire and out of the darkness." Of course, Game of Thrones fans will know that Rhaenyra is not the Prince That Was Promised.

House of the Dragon season 3 is streaming now on HBO Max and NOW. For more, check out our guide to House of the Dragon season 4, and keep up with all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 has come to a fittingly shocking conclusion, and it may well spell doom for Rhaenyra Targaryen.

Spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3, episode 8 follow! Turn back now if you haven't seen the episode yet!

In the finale, Helaena, who has been held captive and isolated throughout the season, throws herself from the Red Keep to her death. Speaking at a press conference attended by GamesRadar+, Emma D'Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra, expanded on what that means for their character.

"Helaena is the moral heart of the show, I think," D'Arcy reflected. "Maybe the only character who has a proximity to power but remains uncontaminated. And so, I think her death condemns Rhaenyra to the path she's chosen: no way back after that. There's certainly no route back to a more moderate form of leadership. And I don't know where we go from here, but I imagine it's likely to be impassable in her relationship with Alicent, which I think also means Helena's death condemns Rhaenyra to be alone in her pursuit for power."

In the episode, Rhaenyra's tenuous grip on the crown is threatened even further when news breaks that Aegon is still alive. This prompts Rhaenyra to arrange a coronation – and have the High Septon killed when he refuses to play along. Later, Rhaenyra finds a tapestry woven by Helaena – a dragon dreamer who could see the future – that depicts Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne, dripping blood and surrounded by flames and dying dragons.

"I was just thinking about Rhaenyra, her rejection of the Seven and murder of the High Septon, and this attempt to reject other legitimizing institutions," adds D'Arcy. "And in a funny way, Helaena's power of sight is another institution of legitimacy. I guess I just love the simplicity of looking at a document that could be hugely illuminating, but choosing to chuck it on the floor. Feels very odd."

When asked if the window Helaena jumps from is the same as the window Tommen Baratheon stepped to his death from in Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal clarifies, "It's a different set," but acknowledges: "Echoes and reflections and parallels, for sure, to be drawn between the two series."

For more on the show, check out our guide on everything there is to know about House of the Dragon season 4, as well as our House of the Dragon season 3 ending explained.

While John Stewart is set to make his DCU debut in the upcoming Lanterns, played by Aaron Pierre, the Green Lantern will soon be reappearing in next year's quasi-Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow.

But, by the sounds of things, showrunner Chris Mundy had the leeway to take Lanterns wherever he wanted to go, despite the wider universe being at play.

"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 told SFX magazine. "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."

So far, Lanterns looks more like a gritty detective drama than a superhero show, with the buddy cop dynamic between Stewart and Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan at its heart. But elsewhere in the SFX piece, Mundy hints that the grounded DC show might go cosmic: "We'd be stupid not to use everything that you can do inside the Green Lantern universe."

Man of Tomorrow, meanwhile, will see Superman forced to team up with Lex Luthor to take on Brainiac.

Along with Pierre and Chandler, the Lanterns cast also features Laura Linney, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, and Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro.

"Our show is in a lot of ways about replacement – when should someone step aside and when is it time for the next person to take the reins?" Mundy said back in 2025. "That push and pull between those two characters is really important. So much of the power that John has is by not taking the bait, understanding that you lose your power if you’re yelling and screaming."

Lanterns arrives on August 16. In the meantime, keep up to date with everything else the DCU has in store with our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal says Aegon had every opportunity to take revenge... but that it wouldn't have signified any growth in his character.

Spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3 episode 8 'The Dragon in Winter' lie ahead.

"That would be no fun," Condal says during a press conference attended by GamesRadar+, when asked why Aegon didn't kill Aemond when the two reunite in the House of the Dragon season 3 finale. "He's learned a lot in Season 3 here, Aegon. And even though he's still angry with his brother and has agendas, I think what he realized in his evolution is that he does deserve a lot of the things that happened to him, probably in some way, and, had to learn how to be a better king, and perhaps that… he needed to be away and walk amongst the people as a pauper.

"I mean, the irony of the season is that Aegon, now not in the proximity of the throne, goes on this incredible character evolution where he becomes a much more dimensionalized man, who is more sympathetic and possibly more suited to rule, and then Rhaenyra in the proximity of the throne, is turned and altered and somewhat corrupted by being in its orbit."

Because Aemond attempted to kill Aegon, his own brother, and his brother's dragon Sunfyre, one could conclude that Aegon then had every right to turn around and kill Aemond in an act of revenge. In House of the Dragon season 3 episode 8, Aemond himself even seems surprised when Aegon decides against it. Instead, Aegon suggests that he, Aemond, and Alys go find Vhagar and enter the battle themselves. However, we don't see Aegon and Aemond again in the episode after this moment.

Condal continues: "So, I think if Aegon had shown up and just killed Aemond, it really would not have marked the growth in the character. It's him seeing Aemond's change, and then realizing where he is standing with his dragon, and suddenly this incredible wind of legitimacy behind him, now that the realm is calling him the, you know, the second… he's basically… he's experienced a messianic return. I think it would ruin and spoil that for him to kill the person that's potentially his greatest and strongest ally."

It's also book-accurate, seeing as Aemond doesn't die until later on in the Dance of Dragons, during what's known as the Battle Above God's Eye. During the battle, Aemond, while riding Vhagar, and Daemon, while riding Caraxes, fight to the death – with Daemon ultimately driving his sword into Aemond's eye (presumably the good one). Aegon outlives his brother, sure, but then is ultimately assassinated via poison towards the very end of the war. Rhaenyra's son Aegon III then takes the Iron Throne.

Since the fourth and final season of House of the Dragon is expected to take us all the way to the end of the war, we can expect to see all of this play out in its true horror on screen.

House of the Dragon season 3 is streaming now on HBO Max and NOW. Make sure you don't miss the season 3 finale with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

House of the Dragon season 4 may be a couple of years away, but we're already counting down the days to the Dance of the Dragons' final act. We've known for a while now that House of the Dragon season 4 will be the show's last and, unlike its once-celebrated sister show, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon has the benefit of a complete George R.R. Martin story to draw from. So hopefully, this one will stick the (king's) landing.

House of the Dragon is coming to an end, but the World of Westeros is going nowhere. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 is already in the can and expected to release early 2027, while there are a number of upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows in the works. Of particular note for House of the Dragon fans: an Aegon's Conquest movie, which will tell the story of Rhaenyra's infamous ancestor.

For the time being, you'll find everything you need to know about House of the Dragon season 4 below, from what's known about the plot, who's in the cast, speculation on when it might release, and more. While we wait for new episodes, be sure to check out our House of the Dragon season 3 finale review and our House of the Dragon season 3 ending explained.

House of the Dragon season 4 release date speculation

All we know for now is that House of the Dragon season 4 will release in 2028. A more precise date is pure speculation for now. However, we can make an educated guess.

Since the first season dropped in 2022, House of the Dragon has released like clockwork every two years, with season 2 hitting screens on June 16, 2024, and season 3 releasing on June 21, 2026. And that's despite the 2023 Writers' Guild of America strike heavily impacting production on season 3. So, it's a relatively safe bet that House of the Dragon season 4 will hit screens around June 2028 at the latest.

Writing is at least well underway on season 4. "We're actually starting to show HBO [the scripts]," Ryan Condal said at a season 3 press conference attended by GamesRadar+. "This is our early iteration. I don't put the script down and take it away from me in production, and we have many months ahead of that. But we're as far ahead at this point in crafting a new season while we're still posting the old one."

Is House of the Dragon season 4 the final season?

Yes, House of the Dragon season 4 is the show's final season, which Condal confirmed back in 2024 just after season 2 aired. This was later reiterated by HBO CEO Casey Bloys in February 2026.

"We know when and where we're going to end. We've been able to plan and write to that for a long time now," Condal told us exclusively ahead of House of the Dragon season 3, earlier this year. "The biggest gift that [Fire and Blood] has given to us as writers of the show, and also to the fanbase that so fervently follows it, is it is a complete tale."

House of the Dragon season 4 cast

There were some major casualties in season 3, including Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett), who perished in the Battle of the Gullet; Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), who died unsung in a field; and Ormund Hightower (James Norton), who took a knife up the, well, you know where, and was incinerated by Ulf, just what he deserved. So don't expect any of those to return.

At the moment, no new cast members have been confirmed for season 4. But based on who survives season 3, the House of the Dragon season 4 cast is shaping up like this:

• Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen
• Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen
• Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower
• Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon Targaryen
• Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen
• Matthew Needham as Lord Larys Strong
• Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon
• Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
• Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull
• Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull
• Bethany Antonia as Baela Targaryen
• Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen
• Kieran Bew as Hugh Hammer
• Tom Bennett as Ulf the White
• Jefferson Hall as Tyland Lannister
• Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers
• Freddie Fox as Gwayne Hightower
• Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Daeron Targaryen
• Dan Fogler as Ser Torrhen Manderly

House of the Dragon season 4 plot speculation

Note: the following speculation does not contain book spoilers.

The House of the Dragon season 3 finale ended in, well, fire and blood as Ulf rained dragonfire indiscriminately down on both sides during the Battle of Tumbleton. With the battle brought to an abrupt end, Daemon on Caraxes and Hugh Hammer on Vermithor pursued Ulf on Silverwing; expect this chase to be quickly resolved in season 4.

Of the major dangling threads, Aegon's newfound alliance with his kinslayer brother Aemond will undoubtedly have huge ramifications in season 4. As will Helaena's decision to take her own life (and that of Aegon's unborn son), rather than live under duress in Rhaenyra's Red Keep. Given Rhaenyra's already shaky grasp on power, the return of Aegon and the slaughter of the High Septon is unlikely to endear the smallfolk to Rhaenyra's righteous cause.

Daeron's fate, and that of his dragon Tessarion, are also left ambiguous at the end of season 3, as a barely alive Gwayne is left searching for his nephew among the ashes of Tumbleton. Given that the Hightower forces have been burnt to a crisp, however, it's not like the young prince has much power behind him. Even his brother, Aegon, seems unhappy that Daeron tried to claim the throne.

At a season 3 finale press conference attended by GamesRadar+, Condal teased a "very worthy" final season. "We have an incredible season coming," Condal said. "As crazy and big as season 3 was, I think Season 4 is going to be even bigger. We have new characters, and new dragons and new locations all to come."

At the same press conference, Condal also addressed how Aegon and Rhaenyra have practically swapped places in their quests for the Iron Throne, heading into season 4. "I mean, the irony of the season is that Aegon, now not in the proximity of the throne, goes on this incredible character evolution where he becomes a much more dimensionalized man, who is more sympathetic and possibly more suited to rule, and then Rhaenyra in the proximity of the throne is turned and altered and somewhat corrupted by being in its orbit."

Is there a House of the Dragon season 4 trailer?

House of the Dragon season 4 is yet to go in front of cameras, so there's no season 4 trailer just yet, and likely won't be for quite some time.

The first trailer for House of the Dragon season 3 was released in April 2026, around three months before the season 3 premiere. So expect a full season 4 trailer around spring 2028, and perhaps a brief glimpse in HBO's 2028 preview trailer, which we'd expect to drop mid-December 2027.

For more on House of the Dragon, check out our House of the Dragon timeline and our breakdown of the Targaryen family tree.

You can watch the show on HBO Max in the US and on HBO Max and NOW in the UK.

House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal says season 4 is going to be the best and biggest one yet... and we're waiting with bated breath after the season 3 finale.

Warning: Spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3 episode 8 below!

"We have an incredible season coming," Condal says during a press conference attended by GamesRadar+. "As crazy and big as season 3 was, I think Season 4 is going to be even bigger. It's a great privilege to be able to tell a story, and to be able to control and write the ending, and to control when and where that happens. This is not a given in making television, certainly. We're very excited to get back in. We have new characters, and new dragons and new locations all to come, that I think are gonna make it a very worthy final season. And I'm looking forward to doing it with one of my favorite people in the world, Emma D’Arcy."

House of the Dragon season 3 saw Rhaenyra slowly descend into power-hungry madness as she put on the crown and dared to stop anyone in her path who opposed. In the finale, Rhaenyra goes as far as to order the death of the High Septon, as he refused to anoint her as the true ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. Why? Because Aegon is still alive, and if that's not a "sign from the gods," then I don't know what is.

House of the Dragon season 4 will likely take us all the way to the end of the Dance of Dragons, the tumultuous civil war between Team Black and Team Green. I won't tell you what happens to Rhae in the books but, well, it's Game of Thrones. So, naturally, we can expect a largely unhappy ending for every single character (even the dragons).

House of the Dragon season 3 is streaming now on HBO Max and NOW. Make sure you don't miss the season 3 finale with our House of the Dragon season 3 release.

Looking for the best new shows and movies to stream this weekend? Then you've come to the right place. From season finales to brand new movies and everything in between, the options on offer this week run the full gamut of what streaming does best.

Highlights this week include new Netflix thriller The Last House, which is guaranteed to keep you hooked, the long-awaited House of the Dragon season 3 finale, and the return of Ted Lasso a few years after the divisive third season. There's even a new Star Wars show to get obsessed with.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day may be dominating in theaters, but don't overlook the best streaming services this weekend, as there's plenty to get stuck into. So read on for our streaming picks of the week, and where to find them.

House of the Dragon season 3 finale

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max (US), HBO Max and NOW (UK)

The House of the Dragon season 3 finale is almost here, and it's about to go down in Tumbleton. The Game of Thrones spin-off has had its ups and downs this season, but it certainly hasn't skimped on the bloodshed. With around a dozen major deaths still to come before the end of the show, don't be surprised if some major players are taken out of the game this week.

With just one more season to go, the Dance of the Dragons is almost over. The good news is, Game of Thrones is going nowhere. Be sure to check out our list of upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows heading your way, including A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2.

For more, check out our list of the best HBO Max TV shows.

X-Men '97 season 2 episode 8

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Disney Plus

The penultimate episode of X-Men '97 season 2 released earlier this week, making this the perfect time to catch up on the animated revival's second season ahead of next Wednesday's season 2 finale. Let's just say, it's another weapons-grade tearjerker…

If you're up to speed, you'll know this season's apocalyptic threat has now taken a surprising new form, as the X-Men, X-Force and X-Factor unite in the face of a seemingly insurmountable foe. Of course, it's a great time to be an X-Men fan, with a certain major mutant introduced in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

While we wait for the final episode, fill out your watchlist with the 30 best shows on Disney Plus.

The Last House

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

This post-COVID horror-thriller imagines a world where apocalyptic rain falls and everyone finds they are locked in their homes. Brrr, imagine that? Wagner Moura and Greta Lee star as parents who have to keep their family alive by rationing, growing crops in their living room and chimney fishing (it'll make sense when you see it).

Directed by Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk, Fast X), it's a movie in the M. Night Shyamalan mould, with the question of who – or what – is keeping everyone stuck indoors bound to leave you guessing till the truth is revealed. A word of warning: if you're sensitive to animal violence, you might want to avoid this one.

Looking for more? Here are the best movies on Netflix.

Ted Lasso season 4

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

Whether it's because everyone hated the season 3 finale, who can say, but moustachioed underdog soccer coach Ted Lasso has returned to his old haunting grounds of AFC Richmond for a fourth season, only this time he's coaching the women's team.

Much of the main cast is back, including Jason Sudeikis as Ted and Brett Goldstein as fan-favorite grump Roy Kent. The less said about Beard, the better. But in going back to basics, season 4 manages to recapture some of the magic of the very first season, which is no bad thing.

Did Ted Lasso make the cut in our list of the best Apple TV shows? Click through to find out.

Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Hulu/Disney Plus

A series-length spin-off of a non-canon animated anthology series is about as niche a prospect as Star Wars can offer, but this anime twist on a galaxy far, far away is well worth checking out. Set in the far future, where Jedi are a thing of the past, it imagines how a dream to resurrect the Jedi and restore order to the galaxy might come to pass.

Star Wars has always been rooted in Japanese culture – Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress was a major influence on George Lucas, after all – so a mash-up of Star Wars and anime makes for a perfect combination. Both original Visions Ninth Jedi episodes are currently streaming for free on the Star Wars YouTube channel, if you want a taste of what to expect.

Caught the anime bug? Here's our list of the best Crunchyroll anime.

The Shards

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Hulu/Disney Plus

Based on the semi-autobiographical novel by controversial American Psycho writer Bret Easton Ellis and brought to the screen by prolific titan of TV Ryan Murphy, The Shards is a garish mix of prep school politics and teen slasher.

Set in 1981 LA, it orbits Buckley prep school, where the life of 17-year-old Bret is turned upside down by the arrival of new student, Robert. Not least because his arrival coincides with serial killer The Trawler striking around town. Two episodes are available to watch now.

After you've watched The Shards, check out our list of the best shows on Hulu.

If nothing on our list seems right for you, have a read of our guides to the best Prime Video shows, and the best Apple TV movies you can watch right now.

One House of the Dragon season 3 fan has worked out just how many characters still need to die before the show ends with season 4 – and it's a lot.

Only one episode remains of season 3, and, if season 4 also has eight episodes, that leaves only nine left for the entire show.

A warning that the following will contain major spoilers from George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, so turn back now if you're not up to date!

"There's only 9 episodes left…. how are they gonna kill off all of these characters and the dragons without it being just a constant run of death scenes? How are they gonna kill Stormcloud when buddy is off in Pentos??" asks one fan on Twitter.

They add: "Literally they have to kill Rhaenyra, Daemon, Joffrey, Mysaria, Addam, Ulf, Hugh, Ormund, Daeron, Helaena, Aegon2, Aemond, all the dragons, and maybe Jaehaera depending on how they end the series. 12 + the dragons, in just 9 episodes."

"They're gonna speed run the ending like D&D did with GOT and it's gonna ruin everything more than it already is," says someone else. "Either that or they're taking the Stranger Things 5 route and making every episode movie-length"

"It's gonna be such a logistical nightmare for writers like why are we stalling," says another person.

"They're probably just not going to hit all those points and people should start making peace with it now lol," says another fan.

However, not everyone is worried. "Daemon, Aemond, Caraxes, and Vhagar all die together. Mysaria, Helaena, and a bunch of dragons will be offed in quick succession. I don't know if the showrunners will want two Battles of Tumbleton, so Hugh, Ulf, and Ormund might not make it to next season," points out one person.

"Ormund, Addam, Ulf, Hugh & Daeron die same episode with their dragons. Aemond & Daemon die same ep. Helaena, Mysaria & Joffrey die same ep, possibly same ep as Aemond and Daemon. Rhaenyra dies penultimate, Aegon dies finale. That's 4, possibly even 3 episodes," argues someone else.

It certainly seems like season 4 will be packed with major deaths – though the season 3 finale also has plenty of scope for a bloodbath.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK, and HBO in the US.

You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, and, for even more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

Even when it comes to blogging, George R.R. Martin is not especially prolific. The beloved Game of Thrones creator has posted an increasingly rare update on his Not a Blog blog for the first time since February, and we're still none the wiser about when The Winds of Winter will finally release.

"This year has been… stressful, to say the least," started a sombre Martin, who noted that he has "lost friends" and "battled sadness and depression" during his time away. Back at the beginning of the year, Martin gave an interview to The Hollywood Reporter where he revealed, in frank terms, that his relationship with House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal is "abysmal" and that the show is "not my story any longer," no doubt a contributing factor to that stressful year.

It's not all been doom and gloom for Martin, however. He's still closely involved with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms as the show's co-creator, and dedicates much of his latest blog post to celebrating that show's nine Emmy nominations, with the caveat that "I was hoping we'd get a few of the acting nominations as well. But there's always next year." A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 is close to completing production. In fact, Egg star Dexter Sol Ansell recently revealed he's already wrapped filming.

What Martin, pointedly, doesn't offer is any kind of update on The Winds of Winter. The long (long) awaited next chapter in Martin's mammoth A Song of Ice and Fire saga is set to follow 2011's A Dance With Dragons. But, over 15 years on, we're none the wiser about when the book will actually release. And it's not even the final Game of Thrones book that Martin needs to write, with A Dream of Spring expected to follow.

At 77 years old, you can hardly blame Martin for slowing down somewhat (OK, a lot) when it comes to his writing. However, he has been keeping plenty busy. As well as a hands-on role with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, that show's co-creator, Ira Parker, has suggested that Martin is currently penning a fourth Dunk and Egg novella. A new Game of Thrones play, The Mad King, is also currently in previews in the UK, and is set in the final years before the events of the novels.

As for The Winds of Winter, Martin previously welcomed imprisonment if he didn't finish the much-anticipated book by a certain deadline. And that deadline passed 6 years ago...

The House of the Dragon season 3 finale releases on HBO Max in the US on August 9, and on Sky and NOW in the UK on August 10. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows.

It sounds as though It: Welcome to Derry season 2 will be even bloodier and more brutal than the first season, as co-creator and showrunner Andy Muschietti confirms the show will embrace the dark 1930s era it is set in.

The new season will take place in 1935, which we already knew, as IT the clown returns to Derry every 27 years. However, unlike Stephen King's original novel, which differs in timeline, Welcome to Derry season 2 will have to deal with the fallout of the great depression. "There’s gonna be a lot of that depression-era hustling in the air in our characters," said Muschietti to Variety. "Everybody’s trying to get by and survive the circumstances. They are gonna do crazy things."

"And of course, the social, cultural, horrible things that were happening in the era, too. We’re not going to skip those. [They are the] very center and the heart of our story." It sounds as though historical events will change the setup of the show too. Rather than following a bunch of kids around on bicycles, season 2 will embrace a different aesthetic.

"In this case, on the surface, Derry is a graveyard almost. It’s a carcass of something because people are depleted, poor, tired, jobless, homeless. The kids don’t have a suburban, comforting life. They’re in a very different situation," added Muschietti. Some of them are orphans or runaways, and so the environment is pretty bleak. But there’s always the aspect of hope that is always there, burning, and it’s what keeps our new group going.”

It: Welcome to Derry season 1 takes place in 1962, and sees the entity target some of the parents of the original Losers Club from the 2017 It movie. The first movie was set 27 years after Welcome to Derry season 1, and the second movie was set 2017 years after the first movie. But as the second film marks the end of the clown, now the only way to tell the story is backwards. After season 2, Welcome to Derry season 3 will jump back another 27 years to 1908, when It first took shape as a clown.

As outlined in King's works, each time It returns, a devastating event takes place. The first movie saw Bill's brother George ferociously murdered, and the second movie kicked off with a gruesome hate crime on a tourist. Then in season 1, it was the devastating Black Spot fire. Season 2 will focus on the Bradley Gang Massacre, following a group of outlaws who descended on Derry and caused havoc in the town.

It: Welcome to Derry season 2 does not yet have a release date. For more, check out our guide to the best shows on HBO, and keep up with new TV shows on the way.

House of the Dragon has made a number of divisive adaptive choices in bringing George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood ot the screen, but arguably the most significant has been keeping Helaena off her dragon, Dreamfyre. And now one of the show's regular directors has weighed in on the contentious decision.

Spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3 episode 7 'The Dragon in Winter' lie ahead.

During the latest episode, dreamer Helaena Targaryen has a series of potentially prophetic visions. In one, Helaena is finally seen on the back of her dragon Dreamfyre, as hundreds of citizens storm the dragonpit in King's Landing. This is noteworthy because the show's version of Helaena, much like her grandfather, King Viserys, refuses to ride her dragon, fearing the corrupting power of controlling a living nuclear weapon.

Now, the episode's director, Nina Lopez-Corrado, has gone some way to explaining the controversial adaptive change, and what that vision could mean. “Helaena has such a strong feeling about the dragons in which she’s torn because she thinks that they do change people and that they’ve changed their whole world, essentially,” Lopez-Corrado told Entertainment Weekly. “So when she sees herself on the dragon and sees Dreamfyre basically take out all of King’s Landing, internally for her it burns deep.... I think she knows that deep down inside, because she is a Targaryen, there almost is no positive outcome to anything that’s happening in regards to this war in this family. And the dragons, as long as they exist, are going to keep this inner turmoil inside of the Targaryens.”

The changes to Helaena's story are something of a sore spot, as they are at the heart of George R.R. Martin's infamous "toxic butterflies" blog post. In the post, Martin explained that seemingly small changes to season 2's Blood and Cheese sequence would have serious repercussions down the line, with the absence of Helaena's son, Prince Maelor, from the scene a particular sticking point.

Showrunner Ryan Condal seems to be making good on his promise to Martin to "postpone" Maelor's introduction, however, as Helaena is currently pregnant with the young prince. Martin, and the fandom at large, however, have been concerned ever since about the show's home stretch in light of such potentially catastrophic deviations.

With just one episode left to go, House of the Dragon season 3 lived up to its title this week. Not only did we get our first proper glimpse of Dreamfyre, but there was also a four-way dragon battle in which Sheepstealer was almost killed. Aegon's dragon, Sunfyre, was also revealed to be alive, though, much like his rider, he's now looking a lot worse for wear after his season 2 run-in with Vhagar.

House of the Dragon season 3 is streaming now on HBO Max and NOW. Make sure you don't miss the season 3 finale with our House of the Dragon season 3 release.

Although DC Studios is choosing not to promote its stack of upcoming movies at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, the Lanterns panel has given us another look at what's to come from DCU Chapter One on the small screen with a brand new trailer.

The new clip opens with Hal Jordan rudely waking his trainee, Jon Stewart, giving us a taste of the duo's Training Day-style relationship. As the pair uncover a string of crimes, Hal becomes convinced that aliens are to blame. Well, ol' Hal is correct, as later in the trailer we find out that extraterrestrial antagonists known as Manhunters, which "can take the shape of any species," are at large on Earth.

Elsewhere in the trailer, it seems as though there is quite a bit of friction between Hal Jordan and Jon Stewart, as Jon seemingly wants rid of his mentor. "The Ring has always been mind. Jordan is just keeping it warm," he says. We also get a glimpse at Nathan Fillion's Superman character Guy Gardner, and what looks to be Green Lantern's nemesis Sinestro, who you can see below.

Starring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as intergalactic cops and members of the Lantern Corps, Hal Jordan and new recruit Jon Stewart, Lanterns follows the duo as they investigate a murder in the American heartland, but in the process are drawn into a dark mystery.

Unlike the most recent DCU project to hit the screen, Supergirl, Lanterns is set on Earth. The show is set across two timelines, both in 2016 and in 2026, sometime after the events of Superman. But just like Supergirl, it looks like Lanterns will feed into Superman sequel Superman: Man of Tomorrow, as it has cast Jon Stewart actor Aaron Pierre.

Lanterns, which has been described as a buddy cop show meets True Detective, is the third TV show to come from Gunn's DCU, following on from Creature Commandos and Peacemaker season 2, and is the fifth project overall. However, the HBO show has a bit of pressure on it not only for being the only DC series released this year, but after Supergirl flopped at the box office, DC Studios needs Lanterns to be a hit.

Lanterns is co-created and co-written by Lost's Damon Lindelof, Criminal Minds' Chris Mundy, and comic book writer Tom King. DC heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are on board as producers. The show also stars Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Laura Linney, Jason Ritter, and Ulrich Thomsen.

Lanterns arrives this August 16. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows for everything else the DCU has in store.

As we head closer to the end of July, plenty more movies and shows are being added to your favorite streaming services. However, it can be a bit of an intimidating task working out what's new and what's worth watching. That's where we come in. We've trawled all the new releases to bring you a list of the best things to watch this weekend.

In our list below, we'll take you through six new movies and shows that will keep you hooked, covering every genre from action to comedy. Starting off strong, two recent movie releases are heading to streaming, just a few months after they arrived in theaters. Masters of the Universe, the new He-Man movie, is heading to Prime Video. Meanwhile, Mortal Kombat 2 is arriving on HBO Max, lining you up for a fantasy franchise heavy weekend of viewing. Elsewhere, Apple TV have released The Dink, a new sports comedy.

If you're looking for a series to binge instead then Paramount Plus has released a new season of crime thriller The Crow Girl that has been landing rave reviews. Netflix also has a second season of its beloved Western Ransom Canyon to enjoy. Finally, MCU star Tom Hiddleston is also fronting a new show for Disney Plus all about the history of Pompeii.

Read on for our complete guide to the best new shows and movies streaming this week.

The Dink

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Apple TV+

A tennis comedy from the creators of Dodgeball? Sign us up. Apple TV has a new movie starring New Girl star Jake Johnson as a washed-up tennis player. Forced to try and save his dad's local club, he ends up having to learn the sport of pickleball, much to his consternation.

The movie also stars Ben Stiller (who is on board as a producer), Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris, and Chloe Fineman. The comedy chops don't stop there as the movie boasts Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar director Josh Greenbaum behind the camera too. Full of heart and laughs, The Dink is perfect escapism and is available to stream now.

See what else we recommend with our guide to the best movies on Apple TV Plus.

Mortal Kombat 2

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max

It doesn't feel like long ago that Mortal Kombat 2 was out in theaters but it's already heading to HBO Max. The sequel to the much-maligned first Mortal Kombat movie won over critics with its fresh take on the story. This time around, new characters joined (including Karl Urban's Johnny Cage and Adeline Rudolph as Kitana) as we finally headed to the arena for some real fights.

Our Mortal Kombat 2 review gave it 3 stars, praising its bloodthirsty action. As our reviewer writes, "Karl Urban adds irreverent energy as a post-Deadpool Johnny Cage, while the all-important fights mostly deliver the goods." You can stream it on HBO Max now.

Check out our guide to the best HBO Max movies for more essential viewing.

Masters of the Universe

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Prime Video

Another new release is hitting streaming platforms this week too as Masters of the Universe arrives on Prime Video. Starring Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam, the movie follows him as he returns to his home planet to take on his destiny as He-Man. However, he'll first have to fight the evil forces of Skeletor, played by Jared Leto.

Masters of the Universe is a ton of fun if you're looking for laughs and escapism this weekend. Galitzine really gives his all as the beloved hero and Leto brings an unexpected energy to legendary villain Skeletor. If that wasn't enough to convince you, our Masters of the Universe review praised how it "never takes itself seriously" and feels true to its source material. You can stream it now on Prime Video.

Our list of the best Prime Video movies is stacked with quality entertainment.

Ransom Canyon season 2

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

Netflix's Western romance Ransom Canyon is back with new episodes this weekend. Following Staten (played by Josh Duhamel) and Quinn (Minka Kelly), the drama picks up with the pair chasing new ventures to try and bring some life back to Ransom Canyon's dwindling ranches.

The second outing has slightly fewer episodes but all eight are available to stream now. The first season had a mixed response from critics who compared it to the juggernaut Western Yellowstone, but it has developed a cult following of fans who adore the romance and the drama it brings to the screen. If you're looking for a perfect excuse to get lost in a diverting story, then look no further.

See what else we recommend with our guide to the best movies on Netflix.

Pompeii: Out of Time

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Disney Plus

It's always a treat to see Tom Hiddleston back on our screens. Fresh of the Loki star having a brief cameo in the Avengers: Doomsday trailer, he's fronting a new Disney Plus history series. Called Pompeii: Out of Time, the three part show sees Hiddleston team up with scholars to dissect what really happened during the eruption of Vesuvius.

Reviews have been very positive, praising the documentary filmmaking as thrilling and witty. The Guardian even called it "a low-key tearjerker" as it takes viewers through the heroism of ordinary people on that fateful day. You can stream all episodes now.

Here's our round-up of the best shows on Disney Plus.

The Crow Girl season 2

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Paramount Plus

Based on the book series by Erik Axl Sund, the Paramount Plus drama The Crow Girl is back for a second season. Starring Eve Myles and Katherine Kelly as DCI Jeanette Kilburn and Dr Sophia Craven, the second outing follows the pair as they're drawn into another investigation.

Reviews have been praising this dark serial killer drama, which is perfect for fans of noir thrillers. Myles and Kelly are also fantastic as the central duo who's relationship evolves in unexpected ways. The entire season is available to stream now, perfect for a weekend binge.

For what else is coming out this year, check out our guide to all the upcoming movies you need to know about.

If you're looking for the best new shows and movies to stream this weekend, then you've come to the right place. We've got recommendations from across the spectrum of streaming services, meaning whatever you subscribe to, we've got you covered.

Highlights this week include the return of animated series X-Men '97 on Disney Plus, the third film in the Enola Holmes franchise on Netflix, and horror-comedy sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (though we're still mad it wasn't called Ready or Not: Here I Come).

It's a corking July 4 weekend for the best streaming services around, with more than enough to fill a long weekend's viewing, between trips to the BBQ. So read on for our streaming picks of the week, and where to find them.

X-Men '97 season 2

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Disney Plus

Marvel's nostalgic animated revival continues with X-Men '97 season 2. The first three episodes dropped this week, perfect for immersing yourself back in a world of mutant mayhem, with further episodes set to release weekly on Wednesdays. Be sure to bookmark our X-Men '97 season 2 release schedule, so you never miss an episode.

Picking up moments after that jaw-dropping season 1 cliffhanger, season 2 sees the X-Men spread across time in the battle against original mutant Apocalypse. It's been two years since season 1, so if you're feeling a little lost, be sure to check out our X-Men '97 season 1 recap, or check out our spoiler-free X-Men '97 season 2 review for our verdict on the first four episodes (spoiler: we liked it a lot).

For more on what to watch, here's our guide to the best shows on Disney Plus.

Silo season 3

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Apple TV

Apple's post-apocalyptic mystery show is back for its third, and penultimate, season. After venturing outside the silo in season 2 and discovering that they were not alone, Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) now faces a different struggle – ol' memory loss.

OK, so a bit of a cliched start for Silo season 3, but after two seasons of questions, the show is finally set to provide answers, with a dual timeline flashing back to the creation of the silos themselves. The best news is that a fourth and final season has already been shot, so there's no risk of being left hanging.

For what else to watch, here's our pick of the best Apple TV shows.

Enola Holmes 3

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

Enola Holmes is back! Sherlock's younger sister, played by Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown, is about to wed Lord Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge) in Malta when her crime-solving big brother – once again played by Henry Cavill – disappears. So it's up to Enola to solve the case of the missing Holmes, and expose the shadowy conspirators pulling the strings.

Enola Holmes has proven one of Netflix's more successful ongoing film franchises. This latest entry is once again written by prolific screenwriter Jack Thorne, who has enlisted his acclaimed Adolescence collaborator Phlip Barantini as director, so impressive credentials behind the camera. Here's to many more cases!

Fill out your watchlist with our guide to the best Netflix movies

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Hulu/Disney Plus

The sequel to 2019 horror-comedy Ready or Not is another fun, frantic spin on the most dangerous game, as returning survivor Grace (Samara Weaving) again finds herself being hunted for ritualistic sport by the council of elite families. The twist this time: Grace's estranged sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton) is also part of the chase.

Arriving seven years after the first entry (directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett helmed Screams 5 and 6, and vampire flick Abigail in the intervening years), Ready or Not 2 has been a long time coming, but is another blood-soaked blast. For an even more outrageous spin on a similar premise, check out They Will Kill You, which hit HBO Max last month.

For more, dive into our list of best movies on Disney Plus

Lee Cronin's The Mummy

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max

Warner Bros' full-on Mummy reboot faced a mixed response when it released earlier this year, with critics knocking the fact that it's more of an exorcist movie than a Mummy movie, and pointing to its somewhat indulgent 135-minute runtime (and that meaningless title) as signs that it was a movie in need of a few more studio notes. But everyone can agree, it's pretty gnarly.

The story of a modern-day family whose daughter is kidnapped, only to mysteriously return 8 years later, having been found in a sarcophagus, wrapped in bandages (never a good sign), it's a movie that brings the Mummy myth into the home. Midsommar's Jack Reynor and Moon Knight's May Calamawy star.

For more, here are the best movies on HBO Max

Human Vapor

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

This South Korean sci-fi thriller show is actually a reimagining of a 1960 Toho movie, hence the charmingly retro premise: a man gains the ability to transform into a gaseous state and uses his powers for bank robberies. Only here, of course, instead of robbing banks, murder is involved.

We're not going to lie: there was clearly a limited VFX budget, so some of the gas effects are a little ropey, but Human Vapor has been admirably updated for the prestige TV era; this gripping 8-episode limited series will keep you hooked till the very end.

For more from the biggest streaming service around, check out our list of the best shows on Netflix.

If nothing on our list seems right for you, have a read of our guides to the best Prime Video shows, and the best Apple TV movies you can watch right now.

House of the Dragon season 3 has found a very clever way to reference its source material, George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood.

In the new opening credits, the tapestry chronicling the history of the Targaryens is added to each episode with the latest major events from the season. But, if you pay close attention, you'll notice that the artistic rendering of these events is slightly different from what actually happened.

For example, in the Battle of the Gullet, it was Alyn who killed Sharako Lohar, but, in the tapestry, Corlys Velaryon is shown dramatically facing off with Lohar. Similarly, Jacaerys Velaryon is shown being killed by arrows, though the actual circumstances of his death are subtly different in the show to the tapestry (he's falling backwards in the tapestry, while in the show, he was already in the water).

"I love working in the contested history of Fire & Blood into these little flourishes," says one fan on Twitter – and it's true that this seems to be a deliberate nod to Martin's book.

Fire and Blood is a pseudo-historical text that tells the history of House Targaryen, but the twist is it's presented as coming from three different sources who each disagree with each other on the details. That means the truth of what really happened is unknown. So, the tapestry telling a false version of history perfectly fits the book's themes.

The source material has been a hot topic for House of the Dragon season 3 after Martin's infamous blog post about a "toxic" butterfly effect caused by making changes to his book. One change to Fire and Blood might have accidentally erased Daenerys Targaryen from canon (though it's an easy fix), while the show might even have referenced Martin's blog post with a sly Easter egg.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

As House of the Dragon season 3 continues to air, Game of Thrones fans are debating all of the important topics, including who is the best swordfighter in all of Westeros' history.

The debate kicked off over on Twitter when one fan asked, "Who’s coming out alive" in a fight to the death between Jamie Lannister and Daemon Targaryen. Now, not that this would ever happen, as Daemon was born hundreds of years before Jaime, but a lot of fans seem to be backing the Golden Lion over the Rogue Prince.

"George R.R. Martin says Jamie is a top three fighter in the entire history of A Song of Ice and Fire," said one fan, while another added, "If your name isn't Barristan Selmy, Arthur Dayne, Aemon the Dragonknight, Daemon Blackfyre, Robert Baratheon or Aegon the Conqueror, Jamie is killing you within 5 moves."

However, many fans think Daemon has it in him to beat the Lannister, as he has shown just what he can do with a sword in House of the Dragon. Who could forget when he sliced Ser Vaemond Velaryon's head in half with one swipe in House of the Dragon season 1, episode 8, after Lord Corlys' brother badmouthed Rhaenyra. "This is disrespectful to Daemon," added one Twitter user.

Funnily enough, Daemon star Matt Smith has already answered a similar question in the past. But rather than asking if Daemon could beat Jaime in a fight, it was Jon Snow. "Mate, I've got a dragon," said Smith on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon back in 2024. "Jon Snow is a bad boy. Don't get me wrong. Kit Harington, lovely man, lovely guy. I have a lot of respect. But don't get it twisted. I would fuck those brothers up." Well, there you have it.

As for Jaime Lannister, the Knight didn't go out in a blaze of glory, but was crushed under the Red Keep after Daenerys Targaryen invaded King's Landing. Daemon is still fighting strong in his respective show, but as the Dance of the Dragons continues to play out, no one is really safe on Team Black or Team Green.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 3 hits HBO on July 5 in the US and on HBO Max and Sky on July 6 in the UK. You can find exact timings in our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review, and keep up with upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

The latest episode of House of the Dragon season 3 is a major paradigm shift for Westeros, as Rhaenyra Targaryen at last ascends to the Iron Throne.

But there's also one moment that might be a nod to one of the most controversial Game of Thrones moments of all – George R.R. Martin's infamous blog post taking aim at the butterfly effect caused by changes the HBO show made from his book Fire and Blood.

While the bulk of the post revolved around the decision to remove Helaena and Aegon's son Maelor from the Blood and Cheese incident (and, indeed, the entire show so far), Martin ended his post with these ominous words: "And there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if House of the Dragon goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for seasons 3 and 4…"

Now, in House of the Dragon season 3, episode 2, Helaena is in the garden reading a book about butterflies. Not just any butterflies, either, but butterflies from Naath, which carry a deadly illness that kills invaders (so, toxic butterflies).

The moment has naturally been spotted by fans and posted across social media:

After the blog post, Martin was interviewed by The Hollywood Reporter, and he shared that his relationship with House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal is "abysmal."

"Then we got into season 2, and he basically stopped listening to me," Martin told the publication. "I would give notes, and nothing would happen. Sometimes he would explain why he wasn't doing it. Other times, he would tell me, 'Oh, OK, yeah, I'll think about that.' It got worse and worse, and I began to get more and more annoyed. Finally, it got to a point where I was told by HBO that I should submit all my notes to them and they would give Ryan our combined notes."

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

Another episode of House of the Dragon season 3 has landed on HBO, and, of course, an eagle-eyed fan has found yet another difference between the on-screen adaptation and George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones book series.

Warning, this article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2, so turn back now if you haven't caught up yet.

At the end of episode 2, after the guards follow Alicent's orders and open the gates for Rhaenyra and Daemon, the pair approach the throne room, and Rhaenyra finally sits on the Iron Throne. However, in Fire and Blood, when the Queen first sits on the throne, she cuts herself on one of the swords, and onlookers see her leave the room with blood running down her legs and arms, which does not happen on screen.

Fans have noticed the change, as one said on Twitter, "I wish they had shown the Iron Throne cutting Rhaenyra. Maybe it’s coming in the next episode." The fan added that the reason it "has to happen" is that "she needs to be rejected by the throne bc she is a villain, not a hero." However, other fans pointed out that the show so far has not painted her as a villain, so it may not happen for that very reason.

The Iron Throne cutting Rhaenyra signifies that her rule won't last long, foreshadowing what is to come. However, even though we did not see the throne slice her in episode 2, the Targaryen Queen does suffer a few blunders.

When she entered the throne room, she was hiding behind Daemon, which the Kingsguard pointed out was funny to see. Then later, Rhaenyra says she is unable to kill Alicent's father, ex-Hand, and master manipulator Otto Hightower in place of Aegon as the usurper, and asks Daemon to do it. But when she does try to behead Otto, she fails at first. Whereas Daemon is able to deliver one killing blow to his victim. These actions may nod to Rhaenyra not being fit to rule. But we have to remember that she has just lost another son in battle, and that killing Otto will affect Alicent

This isn't the first change the show has made to its source material. Just this season, the HBO series made major changes to the Battle of the Gullet, and even the opening credits include the incorrect Targaryen sigil sporting a four-legged dragon, which Martin has made it clear that only two-legged dragons exist in his universe, no matter how many heads they have.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues to air weekly on HBO and HBO Max. You can find exact timings in our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review, and keep up with upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 has continued with another massive episode, and this one makes a huge change to George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood book.

Spoilers for the latest episode follow – turn back now if you're not up to date!

In the latest episode of House of the Dragon season 3, Rhaenyra Targaryen at last takes the Iron Throne, after Alicent Hightower made good on her word and opened the gates to the Red Keep. Rhaenyra's ascension is not without bloodshed, however, as she executes Otto Hightower, Alicent's father, on her way to the throne.

One major death from the books, though, did not happen in the show. In Fire and Blood, Alicent's brother, Gwayne Hightower, is present in King's Landing, and he's stopped from raising the alarm about Rhaenyra's arrival by the Gold Cloak commander Luthor Largent. Largent tells Gwayne that he's loyal to Daemon Targaryen, then kills Gwayne.

In the show, Gwayne is far away with Criston Cole, and Largent reveals his true allegiance in a dramatic moment in the throne room to defend Rhaenyra from the green guards instead.

How this changes the plot moving forward remains to be seen, as, now, anything could happen to Gwayne as the show goes on.

Another change to the Battle of the Gullet in the last episode might have accidentally erased Daenerys Targaryen from existence, too (though it's a fairly easy fix).

Martin previously railed against changes made to his source material on his Not a Blog page, later telling The Hollywood Reporter his relationship with showrunner Ryan Condal is "abysmal."

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review, or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.