The first reviews for DC Studios’ Lanterns are here, and critics are loving it. The show hails from HBO’s Watchmen creator Damon Lindelof, and critics are already comparing Lanterns to it. While critics are divided on which is better, most agree that Lanterns is an entertaining show.
At the time of writing, Lanterns has scored 91% on Rotten Tomatoes with 34 reviews. The Movie Podcast’s Daniel Baptista wrote, “I didn’t think any DC series could surpass Watchmen, but Lanterns exceeded it.” For reference, Watchmen has a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes with 398 reviews.
On the other hand, Fangirlish’s Lissete Sáenz compared Lanterns to being like a “more elevated Arrow.” The critic told interested viewers to adjust their expectations for the quality of Lanterns.
Film critic Darren Mooney also praised the show, though in their view, the DCU show falls just short of reaching Watchmen’s heights.
JoBlo’s Alex Maidy called the series a “game-changer for DC Studios” and praised its central mystery, writing that it “echoes the feel of HBO’s Watchmen.”
Will Lanterns get a second season or will it be a limited series like Watchmen?
At the time of writing, HBO has not renewed Lanterns for a second season. However, several reports have revealed that the series has started work on a second season in the writing department. The series has added Christopher Cantwell to its writers’ room, and the production team is eager to get an official renewal. If it does, it will make Lanterns the third DCU TV show to be renewed for multiple seasons, following Peacemaker and Creature Commandos.
Lanterns will introduce audiences to John Stewart and Hal Jordan, two mainstay Green Lanterns from the pages of DC comics. The series will lead into Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre, returning in next year’s Man of Tomorrow, the sequel to James Gunn’s Superman.
Lanterns premieres on HBO and HBO Max on August 16, 2026.
