HBO hasn’t renewed Lanterns for a second season, and a DC Studios insider quoted by Variety suggests one is unlikely. IGN reports that Variety has softened its wording: the trade first said the show “didn’t get renewed”, and its report now says it has yet to be renewed. That’s a real difference, because it moves the story from a verdict to an open question that HBO hasn’t answered.
Why the report came out now
Variety’s piece follows the announcement on Monday 9 November that James Gunn and Peter Safran are leaving their top jobs at DC Studios. According to MovieWeb, Jeremy Latcham takes over from 1 December. Gunn said in a public statement that he disliked the “corporate” side of the role and that long hours had strained his personal relationships, as relayed by IGN. We’ve covered the wider shake-up, including the first reports about Lanterns, in our earlier story.
The insider’s reasoning, as IGN relays it, is that the show didn’t quite “capture the zeitgeist”. That sits oddly with the numbers. The series averaged nearly 19 million viewers per episode globally, and its season finale drew 10.5 million global viewers over its first three days, according to MovieWeb, citing The Wrap. IGN’s own read is that viewership rivalled The Pitt, and that audiences warmed to Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart.
What was said before the shake-up
A week ago, a second season looked close to a formality. In October, series co-creator Damon Lindelof said writers were already working through ideas, though nothing had been greenlit. Safran told IGN around the same time that a return depended on the team finding a story worthy of following a well-loved first season, and that he wouldn’t be surprised to see more if HBO, DC and showrunner Chris Mundy’s team felt they had one. We covered that in our Safran interview story and the early-development report.
The leadership change has since muddied that picture. Speaking at a FYC event in Westwood, California, Mundy told The Playlist, as quoted by MovieWeb, that the team had thought everything had settled after the merger. He described the show’s chances as a “coin flip, 50/50”. Mundy didn’t say the show was cancelled, and HBO hasn’t said so either.
What it means for the characters
Even without a second season, the characters aren’t going away. Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart is due back in Superman: Man of Tomorrow, which MovieWeb lists for 9 July 2027, and Safran had called that handoff from TV to film a deliberate part of the slate. MovieWeb also says Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner is set to appear in the upcoming Mister Miracle animated series. What happens to the live-action show itself now sits with the new leadership, and Variety’s insider isn’t hopeful.
Nothing official will likely arrive before Latcham starts on 1 December, and he hasn’t commented on Lanterns. We’ll update this story if HBO or DC Studios says anything.
Has HBO cancelled Lanterns?
No. HBO hasn’t announced a cancellation or a renewal. Variety’s current wording is that the show has yet to be renewed, though its insider suggests a second season is unlikely.
Will John Stewart still appear in the DCU?
He’s set to, since MovieWeb lists Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart in Man of Tomorrow, due in cinemas on 9 July 2027. That film is one of the projects Gunn is finishing.
When will we know if Season 2 is happening?
There’s no date. Safran said in October the decision would come by the end of the year, but that was before he and Gunn were announced as leaving. Jeremy Latcham takes over DC Studios on 1 December, so any call now likely rests with him and HBO.
