Is HBO’s Lanterns Setting Up the DCU’s Blackest Night?

Is HBO's Lanterns Setting Up the DCU's Blackest Night?

As a seasoned gamer and DC comics aficionado with over two decades of immersion into the vibrant world of superheroes, I must say, I am beyond thrilled about HBO’s upcoming TV series, Lanterns. Having followed the Green Lantern saga since its inception, I find it captivating that the story is taking a True Detective-style approach, focusing on two iconic characters like Hal Jordan and John Stewart.


The upcoming TV series on HBO named Lanterns is set to explore the Green Lantern universe in a manner reminiscent of True Detective. The main characters, Hal Jordan (played by Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart, will be investigating an earthbound mystery that ties into the broader narrative across various DC films and shows, as hinted by James Gunn, head of DC Studios. In simpler terms, Gunn suggested that these two Green Lanterns will uncover a deep-rooted terror on Earth, acting like supercops in their world.

It turns out that the TV series called ‘Lanterns’ draws some inspiration from the storyline known as “Sinestro’s Law” in DC Comics, specifically from the one-shot comic ‘Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps: Rebirth’ and issues #1 to #7 of the regular series. In this narrative, Sinestro and his followers, the Yellow Lanterns, established a strict rule over the universe, while the Green Lantern Corps faced one of its darkest periods ever. The homeworld of the Green Lantern Corps, Oa, was replaced by a harsh version of ‘Warworld’, which is under Sinestro’s control. This Sinestro, who used to be Hal Jordan’s mentor and partner in the Green Lantern Corps, turned rogue and learned to wield the yellow light of fear as his weapon.

Nevertheless, devotees of Green Lantern comics are aware that Sinestro’s creation of the “Sinestro Corps” marked the beginning of a significant DC crossover narrative titled “Blackest Night.” A popular hypothesis is that DC Studios might combine and blend various prominent Green Lantern storylines to produce a new DCU interpretation of Blackest Night.

What Is DC’s Blackest Night?

Is HBO's Lanterns Setting Up the DCU's Blackest Night?

During the “Blackest Night” event spanning from 2009 to 2010 in DC Comics, Sinestro and his Sinestro Corps initiate a conflict with the Green Lanterns, setting off a prophecy that brings forth an array of colored power rings and the emotions they represent across the universe. Among these, black rings are re-introduced, animating dead bodies into the Black Lantern Corps under Nekron, the ruler of the deceased. These reanimated Black Lanterns kill several DC heroes, who then join Nekron’s forces. The galaxy is under attack by the black rings, Nekron, and his followers. To counter this threat, various different Lantern corps (Green, Yellow, Red, Blue, Orange, Indigo, Violet) unite to form a “White Lanent Corps.” This new force resurrects some of the fallen heroes and equips them with the power to destroy the black rings.

Why Blackest Night Could Be Good For The DCU

Is HBO's Lanterns Setting Up the DCU's Blackest Night?

The opening act of the fresh DC Universe storyline, referred to as “Gods and Monsters,” sets a tone that embodies these two concepts perfectly. This initial phase is leading up to the significant event known as “Blackest Night.” It’s daring to embark on such a venture, given that Gunn and DC Studios appear to be launching their shared universe franchise mid-story, with a pre-existing history of events already in place. The Blackest Night could potentially reintroduce heroes who perished earlier, while simultaneously surprising fans by eliminating characters they assumed would play larger roles in the DC Universe.

This plot development will gradually unfold across multiple upcoming projects, with each project hinting at a sinister entity manipulating the balance between life and death. Eventually, we’ll discover this is DCU’s Nekron and the black rings. It would be intriguing to explore whether death and resurrection are themes in James Gunn’s Superman (2025) movie. Initially, it might seem that Superman’s conquest of death resembles a Christ-like event, but later on, we learn it has a darker side.

Lanterns is in development and will air on HBO and stream on Max.

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2024-09-24 20:40