DCU’s Latest Green Lanterns Update Has Me Even More Excited To See The DC Show Sooner Than I Thought I Would

DC’s Lanterns TV show may come much sooner than I first anticipated, making me even more excited about the project than I already was. Lanterns was first announced in January 2023 as part of the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. Since then, many have been looking for more updates about the show, from announcements about Lanterns’ cast of characters to more details of how the story will tie into the wider story of the fledgling DC Universe.

With the recent announcements that Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre will portray the titular Green Lantners of Hal Jordan and John Stewart respectively, my anticipation for the show only continued to grow. Moreover, I began to expect further updates now that the two leads have been cast, including the shooting schedule and eventual release date of Lanterns. To fulfill my wishes, James Gunn recently opened up about the potential release window for the debut of the DCU’s Green Lanterns, and it may be coming sooner than I first thought.

Green Lantern’s Live-Action History Makes The DCU’s Show A Big Deal

The Live-Action History Of The Lanterns Has Been Tumultuous

Firstly, it is worth exploring why I think the DCU’s Lanterns show is such a big deal. The primary reason is the treatment of the source material in the past. While various versions of the Green Lantern Corps have appeared in the timeline of the DC Animated Universe, for example, the live-action treatment of these characters has been sorely lacking. The most notable instance of this came in 2011 with the infamous box office bomb, Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern.

Green Lantern was poorly received by fans and critics alike and became a box office flop. Produced on a budget of $200 million, the film only earned a worldwide box office total of $220 million, putting an end to hopes of future Green Lantern movies. Aside from the critical and commercial failure of the film, it has become somewhat of a laughingstock in modern Hollywood.

The star of the film was Ryan Reynolds, who has recently become more synonymous with the Marvel Comics character Deadpool. Since 2011, Reynolds has endlessly poked fun at his time on Green Lantern, from having the Deadpool movies make multiple meta jokes at the former’s expense to outwardly criticizing the film in public. This, combined with the minimal appearance of a Green Lantern in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, proves how poorly the characters have been presented in live-action, making Lanterns‘ success all the more vital.

As I alluded to, James Gunn recently appeared in an interview with IGN (via GamesRadar) during which he addressed the release window for Lanterns. Gunn confirmed that the only DCU projects in active development are Creature Commandos, Superman, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Peacemaker season 2, and, of course, Lanterns. The head of DC Studios was then asked about Lanterns in light of the recent casting announcements, with Gunn revealing that I may not be waiting too much longer for my most anticipated DCU TV show.

Gunn stated “we’ll see when it [Lanterns] comes out, but they’re around the same time,” in reference to Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. This film, starring Milly Alcock, is currently set for release on June 26, 2026. Therefore, it can be implied that Lanterns will be released around the same time as per Gunn’s comments, likely in the summer season of 2026. This is much sooner than I was personally anticipating, though it makes sense given the DCU’s commitment to other showrunners, meaning Gunn is not the sole creative mind behind each project.

Lanterns’ Release Update Makes The Green Lantern DCU Timeline Already Look Promising

The Lanterns Have A Set Timeline

Although the Lanterns release update excites me regarding how soon I’ll get to watch the show, it also makes the timeline of the Green Lantern Corps look very promising before a DCU project has even been released. The reason for this links to Gunn’s Superman cast, which is set to include Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner. Gardner is one of the other more prominent Green Lantern members from DC Comics and will be the introduction to the world of the Corps in the DCU once Superman hits theaters in 2025.

Thanks to Gunn’s update about Lanterns, we now know that the continuation of the DCU’s Green Lantern exploration will continue only a year later. If Gunn’s promise remains unbroken and Lanterns does release around the same time as Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the two main Green Lantern stories of the franchise thus far will be closely connected timeline-wise. Not only is this exciting for someone like me who desires more Green Lantern live-action stories, but it is also promising in the sense of making the DCU feel more interconnected than past franchises based on these iconic characters.

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