Lanterns has completed its first season, but HBO has yet to say whether the DC series will return.
The show, starring Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler as Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan, has not received a second-season renewal, and a major leadership change at DC Studios has raised further questions about its future.
On 9 November 2026, James Gunn and Peter Safran announced they would step down as co-heads of DC Studios, with former Marvel executive Jeremy Latcham set to take over on 1 December.
This has left fans wondering whether the new leadership will continue investing in Lanterns.
Treasure Ayanfe Adetula
Why has Lanterns not been renewed?
The lack of a second season is not necessarily a reflection of poor performance. Lanterns actually delivered some encouraging viewing figures. According to The Wrap, its first-season finale attracted 10.5 million global viewers across HBO and HBO Max during its first three days. The series averaged 19.3 million viewers worldwide, placing it among HBO's five biggest series launches.
The question, then, is whether the creative team can justify another season. Before the leadership change, Peter Safran had already explained that renewal depended on finding a story worth telling.
Speaking to Collider, he said: “If we're able to come up with what we believe to be a worthy successor to a beloved and great first season, that's what's going to dictate whether there's a second season.”
The decision was not simply about whether audiences watched the first season. DC Studios wanted a strong enough idea to continue the story rather than commission another run because the show performed well.
A writers' room led by co-showrunner Chris Mundy has reportedly been exploring ideas for a potential second season, but that work does not mean HBO has approved production. TVLine reported Safran's comments in October, confirming that a renewal was still dependent on the proposed story.
How does the DC Studios shake-up change things?
The timing of the leadership change makes the situation more complicated. Gunn and Safran spent four years rebuilding DC Studios around a connected film and television universe. Their departure means the person making future decisions will have a different relationship with the projects already in development.
Their replacement, Jeremy Latcham, is a former Marvel Studios executive who worked on films including Iron Man, The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. According to Skydance's official announcement, he will become president and chief creative officer of DC Studios on 1 December, overseeing its film, television and animation projects.
That does not mean he will cancel projects developed under Gunn and Safran. In fact, the announcement says the outgoing executives will return to creative work, while Latcham takes responsibility for the studio's wider direction. However, he will have the authority to decide which projects fit the next phase of DC's plans.
For Lanterns, that could mean another review of its budget, audience potential and place within the wider franchise. A new executive may see value in continuing it, but there is no guarantee that the priorities of the previous leadership will remain unchanged.
What does the Showrunner think about season 2?
Chris Mundy has not hidden how uncertain the situation feels. Speaking to The Playlist after the announcement, he said the team had thought things were settled following the merger before the latest changes.
“I can imagine a world where everyone retreats to their corners, but then, you know, it's a coin flip, 50/50,” he explained.
His comment is worth paying attention to because the uncertainty is not just coming from fans trying to interpret studio announcements. The person leading the series also does not know how the new structure will affect its future.
There is another complication. Co-creator Damon Lindelof has indicated that he does not expect to return for a second season. Although the writers can continue developing ideas, a potential follow-up may look different from the team that created the first run.
Could John Stewart continue without Lanterns?
One reason the series may not be essential to DC's immediate plans is that Aaron Pierre's John Stewart already has a confirmed place in the film universe. He is expected to appear in James Gunn's Man of Tomorrow, which is scheduled for cinemas on 9 July 2027.
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