DC Studios Insider Suggests Lanterns Season 2 Unlikely

On Monday, November 9, an insider at DC Studios suggested that HBO’s Lanterns is unlikely to be renewed for a second season, according to a report from Variety.

The show has yet to be officially renewed.

The news arrived on the heels of the exit of James Gunn and Peter Safran from DC Studios on Monday, November 9.

Industry observers and fans had hopes for a second season following the show’s release. Viewership numbers for the series—starring Aaron Pierre as John Stewart—were mentioned in reports.

Even so, studio insiders indicated that the series did not quite “capture the zeitgeist.”

Breaking Lanterns Canceled at DC Studios — ComicBookCast2

“People cannot wait to make another season of a hit show,” the source told Variety.

The uncertainty surrounding the series follows a broader shake-up at the studio, as series co-creator Damon Lindelof disclosed in October that writers were already brainstorming concepts for a second season despite the lack of an official greenlight.

James Gunn and Peter Safran — Photo: Variety

During an October interview with IGN, Safran corroborated this information while noting that moving forward depended on whether the crew could devise a narrative worthy of succeeding the first season.

“The episodic world is always going to be a really important part of our overall slate, it’s a great way to tell stories that need more real estate than a feature film can offer you, and it’s a great way to introduce characters that we then bring into the feature world,” Safran told IGN in October.

“And I think that Aaron Pierre and John Stewart are a perfect example of that. We introduced him in Lanterns, and audiences will see him next summer in Man of Tomorrow.”

Following the studio leadership changes, however, the future remains uncertain. Speaking during an FYC event in Westwood, California, on Monday, co-showrunner Chris Mundy addressed the shake-up and its potential impact on the series.