As fans of James Gunn's DCU eagerly await THAT news on Lanterns Season 2, DC Studios just premiered the second outing for another beloved superhero. Even with Clayface on the immediate horizon and Man of Tomorrow inching closer, the talk of the town for DCU fans remains the prospect of Lanterns Season 2. The HBO original kept audiences enthralled for eight weeks, concluding with John Stewart embracing his fear to become Green Lantern (kind of). While Aaron Pierre will reprise his new superhero in Man of Tomorrow, demand is rising to secure Lanterns' future by renewing the show for Season 2.
DC Studios launched Season 2 of Krypto Saves the Day on HBO Max and the DC Kids YouTube channel, with its first episode, "Space Busted," debuting on September 10, and the second, "Robo-Pal," following on October 8. Krypto Saves the Day is a series of non-canon shorts inspired by the DCU centered around the Kryptonian canine that happen to feature familiar faces like Superman, Supergirl, Lobo, Lex Luthor, Metamorpho, and The Engineer.
Krypto Saves the Day joins Peacemaker, My Adventures with Superman, Harley Quinn, and Batman: Caped Crusader as DC Studios' fifth multi-season show, while being the first that began under Gunn and Safran's control to return for Season 2. The studio's least-watched show was also renewed for Season 2, although most wouldn't count DC Studios Showcase: The Official Podcast as a true DC TV show, since it is a sit-down podcast rather than storytelling within the blue brand.
Creature Commandos was the first fully canon DCU show to be renewed for Season 2, and all signs suggest Lanterns will be the next to receive that honor. There has been plenty of viral debate about just how successful Lanterns was, but that hasn't stopped DC Studios from getting early development underway.
Showrunner Chris Mundy confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter in August that the writers' room was "about six weeks" into planning out Season 2, which is now closer to 13 weeks at the time of writing (October 8). Meanwhile, a report from Puck noted that "execs at HBO hope to continue the show," likely meaning that a renewal will come once the Lanterns Season 2 pitch is complete.
The Future of All 7 Current & Upcoming Shows in James Gunn's DCU
Creature Commandos
Status: Season 2 Coming in 2027
DCU fans will be well aware that Creature Commandos was already renewed for Season 2 in December 2024, while the first outing was still airing. Season 2 will bring major changes beyond the new Task Force M roster, as James Gunn handed off writing duties to Dean Lorey and a writers' room to pen the 10-episode sophomore run (three episodes longer than the first season).
Now that the ever-busy Gunn has taken a step back from Creature Commandos, its chances of continuing in the long run are certainly more realistic. If Season 2 proves successful when it hits HBO Max in 2027, shortly after July's Man of Tomorrow, it has a real shot at being renewed into Season 3 and beyond.
Peacemaker
Status: Unlikely to Return for Season 3
Despite starting life as part of the DCEU, Peacemaker Season 2 shifted the story into James Gunn's DCU to set up the Salvation narrative with Rick Flag Sr.'s interdimensional prison, where John Cena's Peacemaker is now trapped. Gunn made clear when Season 2 released in 2025 that it was intended to set up plot threads for the wider DCU and that a third season wasn't planned.
That said, Gunn previously offered a "never say never" stance on a potential renewal, while Emilia Harcourt actress Jennifer Holland hinted that Peacemaker Season 3 could happen down the line after other DCU events. While Season 3 remains unlikely, Gunn's love for Peacemaker and his strong personal connection to the cast could prompt its return once Cena's anti-hero is free from Salvation.
Lanterns
Status: Likely to be Renewed
As discussed earlier, Lanterns Season 2 is very much in early development and the writers' room is still cooking up a pitch for a potential renewal. However, as the DCU sci-fi crime drama has racked up impressive viewership and strong reactions from audiences, it seems almost certain that John Stewart's story will continue.
Season 2 will come with adjustments as Damon Lindelof and Tom King have exited the show, while showrunner Chris Mundy has assembled a new writers' room. Despite fans' cries for a more space-heavy Green Lantern story, Mundy already warned that Lanterns will remain a somewhat grounded Earth-based story.
The People v Gorilla Grodd
Status: Multi-Season Potential
The People v Gorilla Grodd is now in production in Atlanta as an in-universe true-crime show crafted by Skyler Gisondo's Jimmy Olsen and the Daily Planet. As the DCU original hails from the team behind American Vandal and is greatly inspired by the Netflix true-crime send-up, it could follow its structure for Season 2.
While Olsen will presumably uncover whether Grodd actually killed his father before the eight-episode show concludes, it could still return for Season 2 (kind of). A potential second outing could pivot focus to another DC supervillain, with the Daily Planet investigating Lex Luthor, The Riddler, Poison Ivy, or others.
Mister Miracle
Status: Likely a Limited Series
After Supergirl's box office flop, DC Studios is directly adapting another Tom King story with his 12-issue Mister Miracle comic run. This time around, King is taking the reins as showrunner to bring his psychological tale of mental health, PTSD, and the New Gods to the DCU in an animated HBO Max show.
For the most part, Mister Miracle is expected to remain loyal to King's story, which centers on escape artist Scott Free, his warrior wife Big Barda, and even Darkseid, albeit with one recurring DCU superhero added into the equation. As Mister Miracle was only 12 issues, it's tough to imagine it taking more than one season to adapt, unless King is looking to extend the story beyond its original ending.
Blue Beetle
Status: Multi-Season Potential
DC Studios is still in some stage of development on a Blue Beetle animated series that acts as a sequel to his 2023 flick, starring Xolo Maridueña's Jaime Reyes. The series ought to address the movie's cliffhanger, which revealed that the original Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, is still alive somewhere out there and in need of rescue.
The Cobra Kai star will reprise his youthful Blue Beetle in Man of Tomorrow next summer, with his animated show expected to follow at some point after. While Season 1 ought to resolve the narrative that began on the big screen years ago, the DCU lacks family-friendly animated content, and further seasons of Blue Beetle could be the perfect vehicle for that if it lands with audiences.
Booster Gold
Status: Multi-Season Potential
After DC Studios reportedly called it quits with Waller and Paradise Lost, Booster Gold is the only HBO Max show from 2023's original DCU Chapter 1 slate announcement that is still in the works. The superhero comedy will introduce Michael Carter, a failed football star and loser from the future who travels back to present-day to become a hero using his time's technology.
DC Studios is struggling to get Booster Gold off the ground, now searching for its third writer, but it seems to be persevering to make it a reality. That determination shows a particular eagerness to bring Booster Gold to screens, perhaps seeing its higher potential to become a multi-season show compared to other projects.
Mister Terrific
Status: Multi-Season Potential
Despite having only appeared in Superman so far, Edi Gathegi's Mr. Terrific remains a fan-favorite as far as DCU superheroes are concerned. Fortunately, there is much more of the Justice Gang super-genius to look forward to, as The Sandman writer Allan Heinberg is developing a Mr. Terrific pilot.
It's tough to gauge whether Mr. Terrific's solo outing will be a limited series or a multi-season show, as DC Studios hasn't shared anything about the project yet. If the audience showed up for Mr. Terrific, there's no reason that it couldn't continue beyond one season, perhaps establishing his own superhero team, The Terrifics.
