A DC ‘Green Lantern’ Series Has Been Greenlit at HBO

HBO has officially given the go-ahead for a new ‘Green Lantern’ series, focusing on the iconic characters John Stewart and Hal Jordan. This fresh adaptation is led by showrunners with impressive credentials, including stints on ‘Ozark’ and ‘Supergirl.’

The journey to this point has been quite the saga. Over five years ago, HBO Max began developing a Green Lantern series with producer Greg Berlanti, the mastermind behind the DC Arrowverse on The CW and co-writer of the 2011 Green Lantern film featuring Ryan Reynolds. Initially, the series aimed to centre on Guy Gardner and Alan Scott, with Seth Grahame-Smith set to write and Finn Wittrock and Jeremy Irvine cast in the lead roles.

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However, in 2022, the project underwent a significant creative overhaul. Grahame-Smith departed after completing a full season’s worth of scripts, and the focus shifted to John Stewart, DC Comics’ first Black superhero. Stewart, the third Green Lantern after Hal Jordan and Alan Scott, is also a key member of the Justice League of America. He first appeared in Green Lantern #87, created by Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams.

The reimagined series, comprising eight episodes, will be helmed by Chris Mundy who will co-write with Damon Lindelof. They are joined by Eisner award-winning writer Tom King, noted for his work on various Batman titles, ‘Mister Miracle’ and ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.’

This new direction emerged after Warner Bros. elevated James Gunn and Peter Safran to leadership positions at DC Studios, tasking them with crafting a new universe for both films and TV. In early 2023, their vision for ‘Lanterns’ replaced Berlanti’s original concept. While Berlanti’s version was more of a space opera, the new series promises a ‘true detective’ style narrative, creating a mutually agreeable transition.

Gunn and Safran have expressed their excitement about bringing Green Lantern to HBO. They believe John Stewart and Hal Jordan are among DC’s most intriguing characters, and this series will lay the groundwork for the new DC Extended Universe (DCEU), set to launch next summer with a new Superman film.

“John Stewart and Hal Jordan are two of DC’s most compelling characters, and Lanterns brings them to life in an original detective story that is a foundational part of the unified DCU we’re launching next summer with Superman,” they said.