Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler in “Lanterns.”
HBO/John Johson
Lanterns, HBO and HBO Max’s new DC series starring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre, is getting off on the right foot in its first season thanks to big numbers for its series premiere.
Based on the DC’s Green Lanterns comic books, Lanterns premiered Sunday, Aug. 16. In the series, Hal Jordan (Chandler), Earth’s first Green Lantern, a U.S. Air Force test pilot-turned-intergalactic cop tasked by the Guardians of the Universe to protect Sector 2814. Jordan is also training a new recruit, John Stewart (Pierre), to be a Green Lantern when the two are summoned to Rushville, Neb., following a mass shooting during a high school football game.
Despite pushback from Rushville’s Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) over jurisdictional issues, Hal pushes to investigate the case because he suspects that aliens hiding in plain sight are responsible for the tragedy. As such, Hal and John push forward, not realizing the deadly repercussions that are awaiting them 10 years down the road.
Created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King, Lanterns is the second third series release in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe following 2024’s Creature Commandos animated series and 2025’s Peacemaker Seasons 1 and 2. The series also stars Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Jason Ritter and Nathan Fillion — who previously appeared as Green Lantern Guy Gardner in Gunn’s first DCU feature, Superman, as well as Peacemaker Season 2.
After the disastrous box office reception of Supergirl in theaters earlier this summer, Gunn’s DCU appears to be rebounding with Lanterns, at least by the numbers reported for the premiere episode of the superhero series.
Per figures shared by HBO and HBO Max (via The Hollywood Reporter), the first episode of Lanterns attracted 9.3 million viewers in its first three days of release on the cable channel and the Warner Bros. Discovery streaming platform, with about 6.6 million of those viewers — or 71% of the viewership — from the U.S.
As such, THR noted, the Lanterns series premiere scored more viewers than the DCU’s Peacemaker and Creature Commandos, as well as 2024’s The Penguin, the non-Gunn DC spinoff series The Batman. Penguin star Colin Farrell, of course, originated the title character in Matt Reeves’ big-screen take on The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman in 2022.
When Do New Episodes Of ‘Lanterns’ Drop?
The big reception of Lanterns by viewers shines a favorable light on the remaining episodes of Lanterns in its first season. Like its debut episode, the remainder of Lanterns’ episodes in its freshman season will begin streaming on HBO Max on Sundays beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. ET, and will start airing on cable on HBO at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Including Episode 1, below is the complete release schedule for Lanterns Season 1:
Episode 1: Pilot — Aug. 16
Episode 2: Title To Be Announced — Aug. 23
Episode 3: Title TBA — Aug. 30
Episode 4: Title TBA — Sept. 6
Episode 5: Title TBA — Sept. 13
Episode 6: Title TBA — Sept. 20
Episode 7: Title TBA — Sept. 27
Episode 8: Title TBA — Oct. 4
Lanterns Season 1, Episode 1, as well as Creature Commandos Season 1, Peacemaker Seasons 1 and 2, Superman, Supergirl, The Batman and The Penguin are all streaming on HBO Max.