Fans are going to have to wait a bit for more adventures in the DCU, as Lanterns has been officially delayed by HBO and DC Studios. Lanterns is the second live-action show in the DCU and revolves around Green Lanterns John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler). The series has been the subject of much discussion about when it will air on HBO, with some reports suggesting a spring 2026 release and others suggesting a delay until after Supergirl.
HBO CEO Casey Bloys has confirmed that Lanterns is “eyeing an end of summer 2026 debut,” during a slate presentation in New York City, according to The Wrap. The news came alongside HBO renewing many of its series, including Task, I Love LA, The Chair Company, and House of the Dragon. Bloys did not specify exactly when Lanterns would premiere, with that information set to be revealed at a later date. In addition to Pierre and Chandler, Lanterns will star Kelly Macdonald, Garrett Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Ulrich Thomsen, and Nathan Fillion, reprising his role as Guy Gardner from Superman.
When Can Fans Expect To See ‘Lanterns?’
James Gunn had previously hinted that Lanterns would premiere before Supergirl, which is set to open in theaters on June 26, 2026. This led many to believe that the series was slated for a spring release on HBO as a lead-in to Supergirl. This was supposed to create a spaced-out release schedule of Lanterns in the spring, Supergirl in the summer, and Clayface in the fall for its September 11, 2026, release date.
With Lanterns now set for an end-of-summer 2026 premiere date, that means it will come after Supergirl. Despite schools already being in session, the last day of summer will be September 22, 2026, meaning Lanterns could debut as late as Sunday, September 20, 2026. The show may overlap with the release of Clayface. There is a chance that Lanterns will premiere in mid-August, similar to the release pattern of Peacemaker Season 2, which debuted on August 21, 2025. If this is the case, HBO might carve out the August release window for future live-action DC shows.
The delay to Lanterns is disappointing, as it seemed like it would build off the story momentum laid out in both Superman and Peacemaker Season 2. Now, with a late-summer premiere, that means the DCU could have a big San Diego Comic-Con presence with both Lanterns and Clayface. DC Studios opted out of Comic-Con entirely for both Superman and Supergirl, though Peacemaker Season 2 did have a Hall H presence in 2025. Now all eyes are on Supergirl, whose marketing campaign will likely kick off with a trailer in December, similar to what Superman did in 2024.
- Release Date
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2026
- Network
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HBO
- Directors
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James Hawes
- Writers
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Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof
