DC Studios is about to enter a new era with the arrival of Lanterns on HBO. It's been almost four years since James Gunn and Peter Safran took the reins at DC Studios and scrapped the existing DCEU in favor of a fresh start with the new DCU. In the years since, the DCU has released both films and television shows, but Lanterns will be a milestone for the cinematic universe.
When Lanterns debuts on HBO on August 16, it will become the first DC Studios TV show to exist completely separate from the old DCEU. Despite Gunn and Safran opting to wipe the slate clean in 2022, several TV shows were greenlit in the DCEU era and have since made it to the screen.
Projects like Peacemaker Season 2 and Creature Commandos were already in the works when DC Studios soft-rebooted the DCU, and as such, they were integrated to form a part of the new cinematic universe instead. Both Peacemaker Season 2 and Creature Commandos were tied to The Suicide Squad, James Gunn's project during the DCEU era, and the TV shows helped establish some of the events from that movie as canon, despite the reboot of the cinematic universe - though some retcons were required between Peacemaker Seasons 1 and 2.
Lanterns is the first DC Studios show released in the new DCU that has seemingly zero ties to the old DCEU. The show is an origin story and introduction to the comic-book heroes Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), two of the iconic Earth-based Green Lanterns. This officially marks the show as the start of a new era for DC Studios' TV shows, as it is the first to be completely DCU-forward, rather than tied to the DCEU's past.
The upcoming superhero show is also the first DCU show that has been completely free to introduce new comic book characters in live-action. Peacemaker revolved around John Cena's character, who had been introduced prior in The Suicide Squad, but Lanterns has no such ties and is free to spotlight heroes and characters who have not already been focused on in the DCEU.
The exception is Nathan Fillion's appearance in Lanterns, who played Guy Gardner (aka the Justice Gang's Green Lantern) in Superman. This crossover is actually a good thing for Lanterns, though, as it strengthens the interconnectivity between DCU projects as the studio enters this new TV era.
Where projects like Creature Commandos and Peacemaker Season 2 have been more hesitant to make substantial ties to the DCU, Lanterns is forging ahead as a strong part of the new universe, particularly by setting up some of its characters for future appearances.
While Frank Grillo's Rick Flag Sr. has been seen across Superman, Peacemaker, and Creature Commandos, Lanterns is preparing one of the Justice League's founding members for an appearance in Man of Tomorrow, with Aaron Pierre confirmed to reprise his role as John Stewart in the Superman sequel. This makes Lanterns an integral origin story in the fabric of the DCU, in a way that is much more significant than either Creature Commandos or Peacemaker.
Peacemaker did bring in some Superman characters to strengthen its DCU ties in Season 2 (including a brief Justice Gang appearance), but there have been no significant appearances from Peacemaker characters in DCU movies thus far, apart from a short cameo from Cena.
Lanterns will premiere on HBO on August 16, starring Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Kelly Macdonald, and Ulrich Thomsen. The series is created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King.
What the Post-Lanterns TV Era Looks Like in the DCU
With Lanterns setting up a new era of storytelling for DC Studios' live-action TV shows, it paves the way for more DCU-forward projects to come.
While a second season of Creature Commandos is confirmed for HBO Max, Peacemaker Season 3 is in doubt, as is the planned spin-off, Waller, which would feature Viola Davis' Amanda Waller from The Suicide Squad.
In the immediate future, DC Studios is working on a Jimmy Olsen-focused TV spin-off, with Superman's Skyler Gisondo in the lead playing his Daily Planet photographer. There has also been movement on projects from the initial Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters announcement, including on Paradise Lost (a Wonder Woman/Themyscira-focused TV show), and Booster Gold, which would both focus on introducing new heroes and establishing lore in the wider DCU.
The DCU's strategy is constantly evolving, but it seems Gunn and Safran want to focus more on projects that tie in healthily with the DCU, rather than risk more confusion by linking to the past DCEU. Lanterns is just the start of that promise, but its impact will cement a new way forward in the DCU's TV landscape.
