LANTERNS Writer Tom King Teases HBO's "Thrilling And Epic And Intimate" DCU TV Series

LANTERNS Writer Tom King Teases HBO's "Thrilling And Epic And Intimate" DCU TV Series

Following the news that DC Studios and HBO are officially moving forward with the Lanterns TV series, writer Tom King has issued a lengthy statement offering some hints about exactly what we can expect.

By JoshWilding - Jun 26, 2024 12:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Lanterns

Yesterday evening, the news broke that DC Studios' Lanterns has received an eight-episode, straight-to-series order from HBO. No longer a Max streaming series, all signs point to this being the Green Lantern reboot we've spent well over a decade waiting for. 

Chris Mundy (True Detective: Night Country) is serving as showrunner and executive producer and will write Lanterns with Damon Lindelof (Watchmen) and comic book scribe Tom King (Supergirl). 

The latter has broken his silence on the news today with a lengthy Instagram post which sees the Eisner Award winner drop some hints about what fans can expect from Hal Jordan and John Stewart's first live-action team-up.

Finally can talk about what I’ve been working on for the past year and more. From DC Studios and Warner Bros, we’re bringing Lanterns to HBO.

Chris, Damon, and I created it; Chris is writing and running it while Damon and I write and executive produce. I like to think of it as from the creators of Ozark, HBO’s Watchmen, and, of course, Batman meets Elmer Fudd.

We’re working with a dream team writer’s room, putting together something thrilling and epic and intimate and and grounded and funny and true—a super hero show that brings together the glories of the comics with the excellence of an HBO prestige drama.

It’s such an honor to work on these characters, to build on what titans John Broome, Gil Kane, Denny O’Neil, and my old pal (and Batman/Fudd fan), Neal Adams created. We’re endlessly inspired by and grateful for the creativity of so many Lantern comic creators from 1940 to this Wednesday.

On a personal level, my late mother was a Warner exec: being back on her lot, building something cool that she’d love—it feels real special.

Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.

Gunn, who remains hard at work on Superman in Cleveland, has also issued a statement on the DCU series moving from Max to HBO. 

When the news broke, he and Peter Safran, as Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of DC Studios, shared a joint statement which read, "We’re thrilled to bring this seminal DC title to HBO with Chris, Damon and Tom at the helm." 

"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.'"

Lanterns doesn't have a confirmed premiere date. 

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Cleander
Cleander - 6/26/2024, 12:25 PM
"Thrilling And Epic And Intimate" = The budget is going be very LOW so no space in season 1 except for short flashbacks lol!
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 6/26/2024, 12:39 PM
@Cleander - you're incorrect sir
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 6/26/2024, 12:27 PM
True Greendective
JFerguson
JFerguson - 6/26/2024, 12:29 PM
Grounded green lantern doesn’t quite have the ring they think it does
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 6/26/2024, 1:48 PM
@JFerguson - "ring" lol
JFerguson
JFerguson - 6/27/2024, 2:10 AM
@ObserverIO - I swear that wasn’t even intentional lol
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 6/26/2024, 12:29 PM
Plot doesn't sound the most interesting but the team involved has me interested.
Batmangina
Batmangina - 6/26/2024, 12:33 PM
WTF is Epic AND Intimate?

Cleander
Cleander - 6/26/2024, 1:11 PM
@Batmangina - It's going to be cheap to make lol
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 6/26/2024, 1:53 PM
@Batmangina - love
Batmangina
Batmangina - 6/26/2024, 1:54 PM
@ObserverIO - That's a weird premise for Green Lantern, also, my ex wives would disagree. 🤣
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 6/26/2024, 3:41 PM
@Batmangina - Oh you were talking about Green Lantern? I thought it was just a random question, lol.
mountainman
mountainman - 6/26/2024, 12:33 PM
I enjoy some seasons of True Detective. It’s a cool
show. If they try to place the Green Lanterns into that framework this will not be a good adaptation of the characters and lore.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 6/26/2024, 12:36 PM
Cool , sounds good!!.

I know alarm bells will go off for some with him using the word “grounded” for GL and while it is a earth based mystery , I hope he means it more in an emotional manner in which we could relate to the characters problems & such and not that they will be stripping down the cosmic wonder of the GL world

Anyway , I have my concerns but I would be lying if I said I was not intrigued aswell because I most certainly am!!.
hainesy
hainesy - 6/26/2024, 12:42 PM
I'm fine with a grounded Green Lantern after the ridiculous movie we got. But as a big fan of the 70's Green Lantern and Green Arrow comics, that would be a better option to do a True Detective style show.
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 6/26/2024, 12:45 PM
No mention of Geoff and of course it's grounded...yeah, i don't like this, chief...fingers crossed tho.

King is a hack tho.
GarthRanzz
GarthRanzz - 6/26/2024, 3:47 PM
@Doomsday8888 - Rather read Tom over Geoff any day of the week.
Cobalt416
Cobalt416 - 6/26/2024, 6:03 PM
@GarthRanzz - Expand. After all, Johns is the man who explored and created most of the lore behind the Green Lanterns and anchored it with some of the most epic stories ever written for DC. King’s weakness is that he believes that he’s a much better writer than he is when most of his work turns into sappy and badly written emotional drama. Heroes in Crisis? Mister Miracle? Vision?
I like King’s work on Supergirl and the first half of his Batman run, but that’s all I’ll give him.
GarthRanzz
GarthRanzz - 6/26/2024, 6:35 PM
@Cobalt416 - I liked Johns run until after the Sinestro Corps. It went downhill fast for me. Altough I liked Secret origins. I much preferred Owsley's run or even Gerard Jones (hate the person, but can't take away from his stories). What would you like me to expand too? I have virtually everything Green Lantern post 1980. Geoff introducing Alpha Lanterns to every story arc being a different color Lantern I did not enjoy at all.
GarthRanzz
GarthRanzz - 6/26/2024, 6:42 PM
@Cobalt416 - For the record I did like it when Geoff had Hal charge his ring off a Manhunter's head.
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 6/27/2024, 12:10 AM
@GarthRanzz
Name 5 GL stories written by Tom King then.
GarthRanzz
GarthRanzz - 6/27/2024, 1:09 AM
@Doomsday8888 - Can only name 2. Kyle was definately a major part of Omega Men. Feel like he wrote one of the one shots during a crossover event as well. Regardless I feel like he is just a better writer than Johns. I do like Johns early Wally West stuff, JSA and Teen Titans. I think TT was severely underated in the 1 year after storyline and is his best stuff. He has a lot of clunkers. Just because he has written Batman I don't think he ever needs to go near that character again. I don't need Rainbow Lanterns.
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 6/27/2024, 2:34 AM
@GarthRanzz
The one shot you have trouble remembering was a tie-in to Darkseid War, a mini event led by Geoff himself.

I admit liking that one shot, i'll give King that much.

I f*cking love writers like Morrison, Geoff and Waid, i don't even know if these guys won Eisner Awards and idgaf, just goes to show how worthless those awards are, kinda like the Oscars.

King hugs Geoff's nuts for almost every story he writes.

For his Batman run, there was no need to use the Flashpoint Batman for the big climax, or to use the Reverse Flash.

In the DC Rebirth one shot with Geoff finally bringing the OG Wally West back in the game, what does King do?
F*cker character-assassinates him for his shitty ass Heroes in Crisis.

He writes Wonder Woman? And quickly uses Grail a character created yesterday by Geoff, again, during Darkseid War.

He could write Grayson ONLY because Geoff "killed him" during Forever Evil.

He's probably the biggest hit or miss i've ever seen, probably the biggest Geoff fanboy out there, has yet to leave his mark on a single DC character.

But his mommy issues got him a seat a Gunn's table. Crazy world.

Rainbow Lanterns were great, i can see why we don't agree.
GarthRanzz
GarthRanzz - 6/27/2024, 5:10 PM
@Doomsday8888 - I love Morrison especially earlier stuff. Waid I like 90 percent of his stuff. JLA Year One being my favorite of his work. I oddly don't like his Star Wars Flash and preferred Johns. I just liked Bill Loebs better and when Waid came on besides the return of Barry Allen the book just lowered on my read list each week. But I loved the hardcover Life and Times book. You did mention one thing I can't stand on Johns...characters can never stay dead under him. He has resurrected more than anyone whether it's Brightest Day, Karate Kid, Hal, Barry, Impulse, Superboy, any alien GLC etc. Somehow drew the line at resurrecting Ch'p but created a knock off who I like in Bd'g.
MCUKnight11
MCUKnight11 - 6/26/2024, 12:53 PM
Lindelof and King are hit or miss for me. Also, cynical side of me can't help but feel it's a murder mystery on earth to be cheap about it. This will definitely be unconventional as a GL adaptation. Could it fix the reputation after the 2011 movie. Guess we'll find out.
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TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 6/26/2024, 12:55 PM
@MCUKnight11 - I’m not too familiar with Kings work though I know he tends to be hit or miss for some

I think Lindelof is a better tv writer than films since he can have more control over the final product such as Watchmen etc.

I do get what you mean but with it being HBO ,idk if budget would be a strong issue.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 6/26/2024, 12:58 PM
@MCUKnight11 - also I know Gunn has said the mystery they are investigating apparently ties into the wider story they are telling with the DCU so I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s some sort of alien conspiracy or something.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 6/26/2024, 12:55 PM
I am one glad fan they are placing Green Lantern, or Lanters on max with multiple episodes. That will work out the characters perfectly to get to know them, the reasoning about why they are there.
Let's make it clear: Green Lantern is not just about Hal Jordan. It is about many Lanters (killowag, Boodikka, ch'p, Salakk, Tomar-Re, Kyle Rayner, the Red Lantern Razer, and the Blue Lantern Saint Walker).

No way all that fits in a near 2 hr film. The series is the way to go.
RolandD
RolandD - 6/26/2024, 1:37 PM
@lazlodaytona - Agreed but it’s now set to appear on HBO instead of Max.
MotherGooseUPus
MotherGooseUPus - 6/26/2024, 3:08 PM
@RolandD - really dumb question... wtf is the difference? isn't Max part of HBO, or is that separate? Like The Last of Us and House of Dragons are on Max, same with Penguin. Would i need Both HBO and Max to watch all those shows? I miss when there werent so many streaming apps and shit
RolandD
RolandD - 6/26/2024, 3:21 PM
@MotherGooseUPus - I don’t know. I only mentioned it because it was in the article. I have never had HBO or Max.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 6/27/2024, 5:54 AM
@RolandD - awwww, what?! bummer
Superspecialawesomeguy
Superspecialawesomeguy - 6/26/2024, 1:07 PM
"On a personal level, my late mother was a Warner exec: being back on her lot, building something cool that she’d love—it feels real special."

So Tom really is a Nepo-Baby?

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RolandD
RolandD - 6/26/2024, 1:40 PM
@Superspecialawesomeguy - I presume that you are kidding. He worked his way up at DC and Marvel starting out as an intern. I don’t think his mom got him an Eisner either.
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