James Gunn’s New DCU Show On HBO Makes Up For The Arrowverse’s Biggest Failure

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James Gunn’s new DC show, coming to HBO Max this year, addresses a major weakness of the previous DC TV universe, known as the Arrowverse. While opinions on the Arrowverse varied, it successfully introduced many viewers to DC’s characters. The shows were cleverly connected, creating a shared universe while still giving each hero and story room to develop independently.

As a longtime watcher of The CW’s Arrowverse, I’ve kept track of all the heroes—and the shows that almost were. We all know the main players: Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman, Legends of Tomorrow, and Black Lightning. But behind the scenes, a lot more was planned. Sadly, three promising projects never made it to air. Green Arrow and the Canaries, Painkiller, and Justice U all had scripts and concepts ready to go, but the network ultimately decided not to move forward with them. It’s a shame, because I was genuinely excited about the potential of each one.

The biggest missed opportunity for the original TV franchise was a Green Lantern show – it would have fit perfectly with the main six shows. Now that the Arrowverse has ended, the upcoming DCU series Lanterns has a chance to deliver on that original idea.

The Arrowverse Teased A Green Lantern TV Show A Frustrating Number Of Times

The Arrowverse always acknowledged the existence of other DC heroes, even if they didn’t appear on screen or only made quick cameos. Characters like Connor Hawke were mentioned, and we heard about heroes like Batman and Superwoman. There were also glimpses of the past, like a photo of the original Justice Society of America, and even a deleted scene from The Flash hinted at Aquaman’s existence.

The mentions of Green Lantern were far more significant than just Easter eggs. It seemed the Arrowverse was actively building towards a Green Lantern TV series, given how often the characters and related concepts were brought up.

As a big fan of the Arrowverse, I noticed a cool little Easter egg in season 4 of Arrow. There’s a quick shot of a guy in a bar – looked like a coastal city, maybe Coast City – wearing a bomber jacket with the name “Jordan” on it, and the green lighting was a dead giveaway. It definitely hinted at where Hal Jordan had been. Then, in the very first episode of The Flash, they mention a pilot disappearing from Ferris Air. Putting those two things together, it pretty much confirms where Hal Jordan is now, and it’s a fun connection for comic book fans like me!

Ferris Air appears frequently in the TV shows Arrow and The Flash. The Arrowverse features several characters connected to the Green Lantern universe, including Susan Williams, Obsidian, Goldface, and Tattooed Man.

John Diggle’s character seems designed to be the Arrowverse’s take on John Stewart, a Black American military veteran with a stepfather named Roy Stewart. A moment in the ‘Elseworlds’ crossover, where the Flash from another universe asks Diggle about a ring, hints at Diggle becoming Green Lantern. This would mirror the comic books, where Green Arrow and Green Lantern are often depicted as friends.

Furthermore, the Barry Allen from the original Earth-2 has Hal Jordan on quick access, along with all the other members of the Justice League of America. Both the post-crisis versions of Earth-2 and Earth-12 feature a Green Lantern. And in the final episode of Arrow, Diggle witnesses a glowing green object fall from the sky, suggesting he’s destined to become the Green Lantern within the Arrowverse.

Honestly, I could go on and on – I’m probably missing a ton of references and little Easter eggs hidden throughout. There were just that many! It’s a shame the original Green Lantern TV show never actually happened, because they teased it so much. But I’m hopeful James Gunn’s Lanterns series will finally deliver on that promise and give fans what they’ve been waiting for.

Why The Arrowverse Abandoned Their Green Lantern TV Show Idea

So, ever since Arrow wrapped up, David Ramsay, who played John Diggle, has been dropping hints in interviews and at conventions about why we never really saw a full-blown Green Lantern show up in the Arrowverse. He’s basically been filling in the blanks about what went on behind the scenes and why that crossover never materialized, and it’s fascinating to hear his take on it.

While covering Denver Fan Expo 2025 for ScreenRant, I spoke with him and Emily Bett Rickards. He revealed that a Green Lantern show was in development within the Arrowverse, but explained that getting it made involved complex negotiations and internal challenges.

Warner Bros. and DC were going through a lot of transitions with leadership changes. Because of this, Marc Guggenheim and I, along with other executives, kept trying to move forward with a Green Lantern project. Some people at DC and Warner Bros. supported the idea, while others didn’t.

Ramsay also explained that the previous Green Lantern movie plans for the DC Universe, and the canceled Green Lantern TV show on HBO Max (which was being developed by Greg Berlanti), contributed to the difficulties they faced. He finished by saying he’s excited to see James Gunn’s upcoming Lanterns TV series.

At the 2025 San Diego Comic-Con, he explained during a panel about the Arrowverse that he believed the decision to have Diggle reject the Green Lantern ring—choosing his family instead—was the correct one.

Ramsay explained that while they did try to make the show work, ultimately it was the right choice to let it go. He admitted that at the time, there were too many complications – politically and with the location itself – and he wasn’t confident it would have succeeded under those circumstances. He feels it’s now in capable hands.

David Ramsay has a better understanding of the situation than I do, and I believe him when he says the show’s cancellation was the right decision. Still, it’s hard not to see it as a major disappointment for the Arrowverse, especially after so much anticipation.

DC’s Lanterns Finally Gives The Green Lanterns The Live-Action TV Show They Deserve

Green Lantern fans haven’t had much luck lately. They’ve seen a poorly received movie, two cancelled TV series (one part of the Arrowverse and another from Greg Berlanti), and a Green Lantern movie planned for the Snyderverse that was also scrapped.

Finally, DC’s Lanterns series will deliver a dedicated live-action story for the Green Lanterns and the entire Lantern Corps. This show will focus entirely on these characters, without the distractions of other Justice League members or brief appearances in unrelated projects.

Exploring the rich history and mythology of the Lantern Corps is a major strength. Given how important Green Lantern and the Corps are to DC Comics, a longer format allows for a more detailed and deserving portrayal of their world. This also gives viewers a chance to really connect with the new interpretations of characters like John Stewart and Hal Jordan.

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2026-01-10 22:40