Damn. Green Lantern fans are going to have to wait a little longer. Despite a brief moment of hope earlier this month, HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery have now confirmed that Lanterns won’t arrive in “early 2026” as previously suggested.
HBO’s Casey Bloys set the record straight, revealing that the long-awaited DCU series is now “eyeing an end-of-summer 2026 debut.” No specific date has been set, but the shift explains why the studio has been slow to release new imagery from the show, only a single official image has surfaced so far.
The delay contradicts last month’s rumor that Lanterns wouldn’t premiere until after Supergirl hits theaters. While Bloys’ timeline lands earlier than that initial speculation, it still marks a major push from the show’s most recent “early 2026” window.
Update on The Penguin Season Two
Bloys also addressed the future of The Penguin, Matt Reeves’ Gotham-set spinoff starring Colin Farrell. While no official second-season pickup has been announced, he confirmed there’s interest internally: “We are talking to the [DC] team about what a second season of The Penguin could look like.”
What We Know About Lanterns
Showrunner and executive producer Chris Mundy has teased the series’ thematic core — particularly the evolving dynamic between Hal Jordan and newcomer John Stewart.
Mundy describes the show as an exploration of “replacement, when should someone step aside and when is it time for the next person to take the reins?” He also emphasized the emotional texture Aaron Pierre brings to John Stewart:
“He’s big, he’s intimidating, but there’s a softness and thoughtfulness too. You can’t teach that.” James Hawes (Slow Horses, Penny Dreadful, The Alienist) is directing the first two episodes. The creative team includes Lost and Watchmen’s Damon Lindelof, bestselling comics writer Tom King, Justin Britt-Gibson, Breannah Gibson, and Vanessa Baden Kelly.
Story Details
As announced, Lanterns will follow: “New recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.”
Nathan Fillion will reprise his role as Guy Gardner, who debuted in James Gunn’s Superman reboot, appearing in a supporting capacity.
Gunn previously described the show as: “True Detective with a couple of Green Lanterns… a terrestrial-based TV show where Hal and John discover a terrifying mystery that ties into the larger DCU.”
The Wait Continues
With Lanterns now shifted to late summer 2026 and The Penguin still awaiting a formal Season Two order, DC fans may need to exercise some patience. Still, the creative talent assembled for both projects suggests the payoff could be worth it.
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