HBO's CEO believes that one future DC Studios project is primed for award nominations. HBO is a common nominee at award ceremonies like the Emmys and Golden Globes; however, comic book series often find difficulty breaking through to awards voters. The new DC series The Penguin has altered that trajectory, with the HBO-produced show garnering 24 nominations for the 2025 Emmy Awards, and the network head seems optimistic that this won't be the last time a DC project receives such attention.
Following The Penguin and Peacemaker Season 2, one of the next DC projects on the docket is Lanterns, another instance of collaboration between DC Studios and HBO. Casey Bloys, HBO CEO, shared with The Wrap that he "feel[s] good" about the DC show and believes Lanterns "[will] be an Emmy contender." HBO has yet to announce a release date for the series, which means it's unclear which Emmy award ceremony it will be eligible for, but nonetheless, Bloys is confident it will be nominated when its time comes.
"If there’s wood, I’m going to knock on it, because I’m superstitious, so I’ll just say I feel good about it. I’m not sure with the Emmy window where it falls, but in whatever window it falls in, I do believe it’ll be an Emmy contender."
Lanterns will be a new tale adapting the Green Lantern comic books of DC, starring several different members of the Green Lantern Corps. This includes Superman's Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler).
Despite its cosmic sci-fi nature, Lanterns has been described as being in the vein of True Detective, suggesting a more grounded and mature approach to the DC source material. True Detective is another award-winning show for HBO, so if the DC series manages to emulate its style, it may also emulate its success.
The talent behind Lanterns suggests it's possible. The series is overseen by Ozark and Criminal Minds producer Chris Mundy, Watchmen's Damon Lindelof, and prolific DC comics author Tom King. With HBO's backing, Lanterns could be the studio's next big hit.
How High Can DC Fly at the Emmys?
The success of The Penguin (a spin-off of Matt Reeves' The Batman) suggests a turning of the corner for superhero shows on the awards circuit. While some of Marvel's Disney+ series, like WandaVision and Loki, have gained awards attention, these are often reserved for the technical categories. The Penguin is one of the only comic book shows to sweep nominations across technical categories and the major acting and series awards.
Before DC collaborated with HBO, the studio primarily targeted young adult audiences with its Arrowverse universe of shows on the CW, which included Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl, and were often missing from the awards circuit. The Penguin ushers in a new era of awards potential for DC Studios, which can hopefully be replicated with several projects down the line, including Lanterns and some of DC's other in-development series.
There are also rumors of a potential second season to The Penguin, or other spin-offs based within Matt Reeves' Batman Epic Crime Saga, which could signal more awards potential for DC if these shows maintain The Penguin's level of prestige.
All eyes will be on the 2025 Emmy Awards as The Penguin competes in 24 categories. Having already won several of these same categories at past awards shows, The Penguin's potential for more wins is high, which is another positive for DC Studios as James Gunn and Peter Safran reboot the brand.
