That's right, the Phantom Zone exists in James Gunn's DCU, and we've got Guy Gardner to thank for it!
Superman's classic prison dimension got a name-drop in "Bad Optics," Episode 6 of HBO's Lanterns, which aired Sunday, September 20th.
LIGHT SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 6 BELOW!
Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner got a brand-new ring after the Guardians locked Hal Jordan's away on Oa. This week, he came through for John Stewart, getting Hal's uniform and decommissioned ring behind the Guardians' backs so Hal can be buried with them.
If they ever find out, Guy says he's headed straight to the Phantom Zone!
Before this, the closest the DCU had come was a deleted Supergirl scene where Kara talks about sending Krem there.
The Phantom Zone first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 back in 1961, from writer Robert Bernstein and artist George Papp. In that story, a cache of Kryptonian weapons lands on Earth, and the Phantom Zone projector is part of it.
That same issue gave us the first appearance of General Zod!
On screen, it's where Zod, Ursa and Non get banished in the opening of Richard Donner's Superman (1978), until a nuclear blast frees them in Superman II. It's also popped up in Smallville, Man of Steel and the Supergirl TV series.
That wasn't the only Superman nod in the episode. In another scene, John brings up the defense money cities got after Lex Luthor's attack on Metropolis in Superman while he's selling his "arks" for Midway City.
Fillion returns as Guy in Man of Tomorrow, the Superman sequel that hits theaters July 9th, 2027, with Superman and Lex Luthor teaming up against Brainiac. His recent comments have already raised questions about the movie's big time jump...
Nothing about the Phantom Zone has been announced for Man of Tomorrow. It's been suggested that the movie could reveal that Brainiac has been trapped there, or that Superman could use it to lock up a villain by the end. Then again, it could turn out to be a one-off line that was thrown in for fun.
Why would the Guardians need the Phantom Zone when the DCU has already confirmed another prison?
Lanterns Episode 7 airs Sunday, September 27th, at 9pm ET on HBO and HBO Max, and the season finale follows on October 4th. Check out the official preview below!
If you missed anything else from "Bad Optics," make sure and check out our recap!
If the Phantom Zone does show up in Man of Tomorrow, who do you want to see come out of it?
More From CBM