A wrench is about to be thrown into the machine that is the DCU, resulting in a major shakeup within the franchise that will change its trajectory for the coming years, and possibly forever. The DCU is now fully off the ground. James Gunn and Peter Safran have given fans two television shows and two feature films set in the interconnected universe, and with multiple titles across different mediums on the way, there are no plans for it to slow down. So far, the DCU has operated on a fairly stenciled formula, but all of that is about to change, and fans are going to witness what could be the most important project from the franchise to date.
In two days, DC Studios and HBO are going to release Lanterns, a TV-MA series centered around Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart, two members of the Green Lantern Corps. The story will largely take place on Earth and follow a True Detective-like mystery/thriller plot. No matter how the series ends up being received, it is going to be a major turning point for the DCU.
It is no secret that Supergirl was nothing short of a failure for DC Studios. The film hasn't even crossed the $130 million mark at the worldwide box office, and considering it was given a budget somewhere between $170 and $200 million, according to different sources, it didn't even come close to breaking even, let alone pulling a financial profit. Supergirl's failure at the box office has provided nothing other than uncertainty in the eyes of many fans when it comes to the future of the DCU. However, DC Studios is tightening its boots and trekking onward.
Following the release of Supergirl, Lanterns (which will debut on August 16) is set to deliver a few major firsts for the DCU, and will change the storytelling formula that has been followed by all four DCU projects up to this point. These changes will undoubtedly change the way Gunn and Safran's franchise is perceived, and could be the shot of adrenaline that the franchise needs to make everything feel fresh.
For example, Lanterns is going to be the first DCU TV series that is not directed and written by Gunn. Creature Commandos, which was an animated TV-MA DCU series, was written and directed by the DC Studios co-CEO, as was Peacemaker Season 2. Lanterns is being created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, with Mundy also taking the duty of showrunner.
Those three, as well as Justin Britt-Gibson, Breannah Gibson, and Vanessa Baden, are credited as the show's writers. James Hawes, Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel, and Alik Sakharov sat in the director's chairs.
While Gunn is credited as an executive producer, he had to approve the script and was extremely involved in the development of Lanterns, but he never actually penned the script or directed any of the episodes. As mentioned, that is the first time in DCU history that Gunn hasn't taken on one of those jobs for a TV series in the franchise.
That alone will make Lanterns feel much different from anything else that has been released within the DCU, especially on the TV front.
It is also worth noting that this will be the first title in the DCU that won't heavily include comedy. Even though Creature Commandos, Superman, Peacemaker, and Supergirl all featured serious moments, they were also extremely comedic and light-hearted in nature. Lanterns is going to be just the opposite, as it has been revealed that it will tell a very grounded, gritty, and mature story.
When Lanterns is released in two days, fans will also get to experience the first DCU project that will be centered around two timelines, or two different time periods. One storyline is going to be set in 2016 and will focus on a shooting in the small town of Rushville, Nebraska. Most notably, that timeline will explore Hal Jordan bringing John Stewart with him as a new recruit in the Green Lantern Corps.
The other timeline that will be featured in Lanterns will be more modern, as it takes place 10 years later in 2026. This is one way Lanterns is going to take inspiration from True Detective, as each episode will have dueling timelines and feature important moments that gradually come together to tell the full story. This is absolutely the first time that the DCU will have done anything like that regarding the timelines. Every other project has mainly been set in one time period, and has told a linear story.
That is not all, though. Lanterns will also be the first DCU project (movie or show) to not feature an ensemble of characters. Instead, it will only be centered around its two main characters, Hal Jordan and John Stewart. For example, Creature Commandos focused on that entire team. Superman had the Man of Steel, Lois Lane, everyone at the Daily Planet, the Justice Gang, and more. Peacemaker Season 2 explored the 11th Street Kids, as well as some other characters. Then, Supergirl featured Kara, Ruthye, Krypto, Superman, etc.
So, Lanterns is going to bring a handful of firsts to the DCU when it is released. If Lanterns is successful, DC Studios could change its formula and create more projects like Lanterns, as opposed to its predecessors.
Lanterns Will Prove That the DCU Can Exist Without Gunn in the Driver's Seat
James Gunn was incredibly involved with the making of Lanterns. Although he won't be credited as the creator, writer, or director of the show, his fingerprints will be all over it, and, as mentioned, he had to approve everything about the series before it went into production.
However, Gunn taking a more backseat approach to Lanterns opens up a world of possibilities for the future of the DCU. If Lanterns is a major success, it will prove that every single project doesn't need Gunn's attention brought to every detail. If that were the case, Gunn could put more focus on the titles he wants to direct and write, and could still juggle more within the DCU to help get other projects off the ground faster and more efficiently.
Essentially, he will be able to spread himself farther than he has been able to in the past, making the DCU more effective as a franchise.
Lanterns Could Be the Blueprint For Future DCU Stories
As mentioned, Lanterns is going to be different than every other DCU project in existence in multiple ways. The most glaring difference between it and the other titles in the franchise is undoubtedly its method of storytelling.
If Lanterns is successful, fans could see more DCU projects take on a more serious, grounded tone. That could be a good or bad thing, as some adaptations need comedy and fantastical elements, while others need to be more realistic.
The show's success could also prove, though, that fans can handle a more mature story with more complex writing. Lanterns' script seemingly won't be one that will hold the audience's hand and explain every little detail to them. If it does well, and future DCU projects follow that same writing process, it could set the DCU apart from other similar franchises and put it in a tier of its own.
At the end of the day, Lanterns is really a make-or-break title for DC Studios and the DCU. Following the failure of Supergirl, it has a lot riding on its shoulders to be well-received and also garner high streaming numbers. If the show is loved by fans and performs well, fans could look back in 10 or 15 years and point to Lanterns as the point where everything came together.
On the other hand, though, if the show flops, fans could look back in 10 or 15 years and point to Lanterns as the point where everything completely fell apart.
