James Gunn Reveals the Main Focus of ‘Lanterns’ Series

James Gunn has finally shared new details about the upcoming Green Lantern series, simply called Lanterns. In an interview on CBS Mornings, Gunn made it clear that this new DC show will mostly focus on John Stewart.

While fans will still see Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner in action, Gunn explained that the main story will center around Stewart’s journey. “It’s basically, you know, John Stewart’s story in a lot of ways. But it’s with those other characters,” Gunn said when talking about the future of the DCU.

The show is based on the famous DC Comics heroes, Green Lanterns, and is being made by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Television. It will follow both John Stewart and Hal Jordan as they work together to solve a murder on Earth.

This case will pull them into bigger mysteries that connect to the wider DC Universe. According to Warner Bros., the show will have a darker, detective-like tone, inspired by series like True Detective and Slow Horses.

Aaron Pierre will play John Stewart, while Kyle Chandler has been cast as Hal Jordan. Nathan Fillion and Kelly Macdonald will also appear in the show. Chris Mundy, known for shows like Ozark, is working as the showrunner, with help from writers Tom King and Damon Lindelof. HBO ordered the series in mid-2024, and James Hawes, who worked on Slow Horses, is directing the first two episodes.

Originally, Greg Berlanti was working on a different Green Lantern show back in 2019, but after Gunn and Peter Safran became co-heads of DC Studios in 2022, plans changed. Gunn and Safran decided to make Lanterns a fresh start for the Green Lanterns in the new DCU, officially called Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

The show will have eight episodes in total and is expected to premiere on HBO in early 2026. Filming started in Los Angeles in February 2025 and is set to wrap up by July. Other directors working on the show include Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel, and Alik Sakharov.

The story will follow the two main Lanterns, veteran Hal Jordan and newcomer John Stewart, as they investigate a mysterious murder in Nebraska. What starts as a simple case slowly uncovers much bigger threats that could shake the entire universe. Gunn teased that although the show will focus on Stewart, both Jordan and Gardner will be important in the story.

Fans have been waiting years for the Green Lanterns to return to live-action, and with Gunn confirming Stewart as the heart of the series, excitement is building.

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