Lanterns showrunner says the new DC series is is "as much of a buddy cop show as a superhero show"

Lanterns may be the next small-screen installment in the DCU, but it's not just a superhero show, says its showrunner.

It's "as much of a buddy cop show as a superhero show," Chris Mundy told Men's Health, which makes sense as it follows Green Lantern Corps double act Hal Jordan and John Stewart, played by Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre. Hal is a veteran peacekeeper, who's training up new recruit John as the pair investigates a murder in Nebraska.

"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 continued. "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."

Despite the next title in DC Studios' roster, we've seen relatively little of the show in marketing material so far – and DC boss James Gunn recently admitted he didn't know when that would change.

"I've seen the peek, I think, or at least where it is now, but I have no clue when that's planned to be shown. With HBO, my expertise so far as that goes, my knowledge of marketing is primarily based around films," he said. "I'm equally involved with the actual materials that you're seeing for the television shows, but in terms of the scheduling, I'm not as knowledgeable as I am with film."

Lanterns is set to premiere on HBO in early 2026. While we wait for a more specific release date, get up to speed with the rest of the DCU: Chapter One with our guide to the other upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.