‘Lanterns’ Season 2 Is Officially in Early Development, and Damon Lindelof Has Thoughts on Hal Jordan’s Future

James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU has made a habit of experimenting with genre, and ‘Lanterns’ may be its boldest swing yet. The ‘True Detective’-inspired sci-fi series reimagined the Green Lantern mythos as a gritty detective story, and its first season has now officially come to a close.

The show’s run was a major win for HBO. ‘Lanterns’ premiered in August with a record-breaking debut, and reports suggest it went on to average 19 million weekly viewers worldwide, including 12 million in the US.

Now fans finally have some clarity about what comes next. Speaking with Collider’s Steve Weintraub about the Season 1 finale, co-creator Damon Lindelof confirmed that ‘Lanterns’ Season 2 is in the early stages of development, even though he won’t be returning for it himself.

Lindelof was upfront about his own involvement. He said he does “not know anything” about what the sophomore story could be, since he has opted not to return. Still, he offered fans a tantalizing tease regarding Hal Jordan, whose death shook up the story. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Lindelof told Collider when asked about continuing Hal’s story.

That comment is sure to delight viewers. Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan has become a favorite DCU character for some fans, and his potential return has been one of the biggest questions hanging over the series.

The groundwork for a second season has been underway for weeks. Showrunner Chris Mundy told The Hollywood Reporter in September that he was about 6 weeks into laying out a potential second season with ‘Halt and Catch Fire’ co-creator Christopher Cantwell.

Lindelof and fellow co-creator Tom King won’t be part of the new season, as both are running their own new series, ‘The Chain’ and ‘Mister Miracle’. Nakkiah Lui and Zack Whedon have also joined the writing team, while Vanessa Baden Kelly is reportedly the only returning member from Season 1’s room.

Mundy has said the team hopes to tell the next chapter differently while keeping beloved characters. Getting the writers’ room started early could also mean a faster production timeline if the series is officially greenlit.

No evil shall escape their sight. Watch the official trailer now. #Lanterns arrives August 16 on @hbomax. https://t.co/PQdkto9G2R

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) July 24, 2026

Despite the momentum, ‘Lanterns’ has not yet been formally renewed. In mid-September, HBO’s Casey Bloys said that no other DC shows were in active development besides ‘The People vs. Gorilla Grodd’.

That has left fans in a waiting game. Still, the active writers’ room, combined with the show’s strong reviews and viewership, is widely seen as positive signs for an eventual renewal.

Even if HBO gives the green light soon, the wait could be long. Forbes estimated that, based on Season 1’s timeline, a second season might not arrive until somewhere between August and December 2028.

Fans won’t have to wait that long to see the Green Lantern Corps again, though. Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart is set to return in James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ sequel ‘Man of Tomorrow’, which arrives in July 2027.

Before that, the DCU heads back to theaters this month with the Batman spin-off ‘Clayface’. With so many projects on the horizon, ‘Lanterns’ looks set to remain a key part of the franchise’s future, whether or not Hal Jordan’s ring finds its way back to him.

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