The fifth chapter in the new DCU, run by DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, now has a confirmed release timeframe. Gunn is officially over 16 months into the release schedule for his new franchise after starting things off with Creature Commandos in December 2024.
The release of the first trailer for DC Studios’ Lanterns confirmed that the new HBO Max series will be released in August 2026. The trailer gave fans their first full look at Aaron Pierre’s Jon Stewart and Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan, along with a tease for the TV-MA-rated action and drama ensuing in this story.
Lanterns will also set up some of the DCU's future, as Aaron Pierre is confirmed to play a role in 2027's Man of Tomorrow. There are no reports detailing if or where Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan will return in upcoming DC Universe projects.
This will mark the fifth project officially released in DC Studios' DC Universe under Gunn and Safran's watch. After Creature Commandos debuted in December 2024, the studio released its first movie, Superman, in July 2025. One month later, Peacemaker Season 2's first episodes aired, ending its run on HBO Max in early October.
This year will continue with three new entries, starting off with Supergirl's debut in theaters on June 26. Lanterns will follow that movie in August, and in October, DC Studios will deliver its first true horror movie, Clayface. After that, the franchise has multiple new sequels, spin-offs, and extended stories either confirmed or rumored for release in the next few years.
The first chapter in this story to add new material is Creature Commandos, which is confirmed to continue into a second season of animated action on HBO Max. While story details are unconfirmed, the Bride will lead a new team of villains and antiheroes, including the addition of King Shark from The Suicide Squad and a revived and bigger version of G.I. Robot.
Next, 2025's Superman will continue into a sequel chapter, as Man of Tomorrow is confirmed for development and release in July 2027. This film will bring back David Corenswet (Superman), Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane), and Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor), as they have to team up to fight an even bigger threat in Brainiac (who will be played by Lars Eidinger).
Additionally, this movie sets up a Daily Planet spin-off featuring Skylar Gisondo's Jimmy Olsen and the villainous Gorilla Grodd. Following this, Edi Gathegi is expected to be in line for his own spin-off, where he will reprise his role as Mr. Terrific.
The third chapter in this saga, Peacemaker, came to an end in October 2025 with the final episodes of Season 2. While it is unclear where the character will go from here, there is still a chance he could get a third season or a spin-off centered around his new team at Checkmate.
Finally, this year will add the saga's fourth chapter with the release of Supergirl, in which Milly Alcock will play the lead role. She is potentially in line to continue her run with DC Studios in 2027's Man of Tomorrow or a hypothetical third Superman movie.
As of writing, Man of Tomorrow is DC Studios' project furthest out from its confirmed release date. However, multiple other new movies and TV shows are in the early stages of development, including a new Wonder Woman movie.
How Lanterns Will Add to James Gunn's DCU
Lanterns is already putting in work to rebuild hype for the DC Universe, as its first trailer earned the most views yet for any trailer for a DCU HBO Max show to date. It will also be the first live-action Green Lantern project in any universe since Ryan Reynolds' ill-fated Green Lantern movie in 2011, which set the character far back in terms of public perception.
The show will also be the first Lantern-related project with something similar to an R-rating, as it is officially going to be rated TV-MA by the MPAA. Star Nathan Fillion previously teased that he has more F-bombs in this series than in anything else he's ever starred in, and the trailer quickly showed off the foul-mouthed nature of this story in the first couple of minutes of footage.
Following John Stewart's appearance in Man of Tomorrow, fans remain hopeful that the Lantern Corps will remain an important part of the greater DC story for years to come.
While this series' stars' official future is still mostly unconfirmed, the anticipation for their inclusion in the greater universe continues to grow by the day.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
