HBO has officially greenlit “Lanterns,” a new TV series featuring Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan. Produced in association with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios, the series has received a straight-to-series order.
Chris Mundy (“True Detective: Night Country,” “Ozark”) will serve as showrunner and co-writer, along with Damon Lindelof (“Watchmen,” “The Leftovers”) and Tom King (“Mister Miracle,” “Supergirl”), who will also executive produce.
READ: HBO Original Documentary ‘Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play.’ Debuts June 20 [TRAILER]
The series follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan as they investigate a murder in the American heartland. John Stewart, notable as DC’s first Black superhero, brings a significant representation milestone to the screen.
“We’re thrilled to bring this seminal DC title to HBO with Chris, Damon, and Tom at the helm,” said DC Studios co-chairmen and co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran in a joint statement. “John Stewart and Hal Jordan are two of DC’s most compelling characters, and ‘Lanterns’ brings them to life in an original detective story that is a foundational part of the unified DCU we’re launching this summer with ‘Superman.’”
Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, added, “We are elated to be reuniting with both Chris Mundy and Damon Lindelof as they partner with Tom for this fresh take on DC’s ‘Green Lantern.’ As part of James and Peter’s vision for the DC Universe, this first new live-action series will mark an exciting new era.”
The journey to bring a “Green Lantern” series to fruition has been lengthy, with initial development dating back to 2019. The first iteration, spearheaded by Greg Berlanti, was set to focus on Green Lanterns Guy Gardner and Alan Scott, with actors Finn Wittrock and Jeremy Irvine attached. However, a creative overhaul in 2022 shifted the show’s focus to John Stewart, another member of the Lantern Corps and the first Black superhero to appear in DC Comics. This move aligned with Warner Bros. Discovery’s strategic direction under Gunn and Safran.
The decision to spotlight John Stewart is significant, as he represents a trailblazing figure in comic book history. Introduced in the 1970s, Stewart broke ground as one of the first Black superheroes, bringing much-needed diversity to the genre and inspiring countless fans over the decades.
“Lanterns” will span eight episodes and is part of a broader strategy to transition high-budget scripted series from streaming service Max to HBO’s linear network, ensuring a wide audience for these landmark stories. This move also includes other major projects like the “Harry Potter” TV series and the “IT” prequel, “Welcome to Derry.”
No casting information for “Lanterns” is available at this time.