When is ‘Lanterns’ coming out on HBO Max? Release date, time and more
DC Comics has another streaming series coming this summer, titled ‘Lanterns,’ which is set to debut on August 16 on HBO Max. The eight episodes of Season 1 will air on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT each week. Notably, HBO has not yet revealed the titles of individual episodes, so for now, fans have to rely on the air dates. In case you are planning to watch, here is the full list of episodes and dates:
Episode 1: August 16, 2026
Episode 2: August 23, 2026
Episode 3: August 30, 2026
Episode 4: September 6, 2026
Episode 5: September 13, 2026
Episode 6: September 20, 2026
Episode 7: September 27, 2026
Episode 8: October 4, 2026
The story of ‘Lanterns’ follows Hal Jordan (played by Kyle Chandler) and rookie John Stewart (played by Aaron Pierre), who are called on to investigate a murder in a small town in Nebraska. When the duo arrives at the scene, the murder mystery unravels into something far greater than anticipated. While Jordan believes the case is connected to the extraterrestrial threat of the Manhunters, the townspeople turn against them. As the pair dig deeper, they unearth a conspiracy that goes far beyond just one American city. What makes this different from previous ‘Green Lantern’ attempts is the tone. The showrunner, Chris Mundy, best known for ‘Ozark,’ created the show with renowned comic book writer Tom King and Damon Lindelof to focus the series around a detective story rather than a cosmic epic. That means it is a slow-burn investigation first, and a superhero show second.
Not only does ‘Lanterns’ have a great concept, but it also has a stellar cast. In addition to Chandler and Pierre, the main cast includes Laura Linney, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Jason Ritter, Poorna Jagannathan, and Ulrich Thomsen. Nathan Fillion reprises his role as Guy Gardner, bringing the DCU’s broader world to the series. Therefore, ‘Lanterns’ is officially part of the James Gunn and Peter Safran-led DC Universe. ‘Lanterns’ belongs to the first chapter of the broader multimedia project DC Studios, titled ‘Gods and Monsters,’ after the animated spin-off, ‘Creature Commandos,’ the ‘Superman’ movie, and ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2. For the fandom, it means the series will probably feature a variety of DC Comics lore and Easter eggs in addition to the overarching mystery and spectacle. It is one of the most anticipated HBO projects this year, but given the mixed reception of ‘Green Lantern’s cinematic history, it will be interesting to see what it has in store for audiences.