Grant Morrison Rips Lanterns Writer Damon Lindelof for Calling Green Lantern “Stupid”

The upcoming HBO series Lanterns is facing criticism from a prominent voice in the DC Comics world. Grant Morrison, a well-known comic book writer, is speaking out against comments made by Lanterns writer Damon Lindelof regarding Green Lantern lore. Morrison believes Hollywood often brings in creators who seem ashamed of the source material they’re adapting.

These statements follow comments made by Lindelof, who playfully criticized the idea behind the name ‘Green Lantern,’ leading to negative reactions from fans.

“The show is called Lanterns because we all agreed the Green was stupid,” Lindelof said.

Now Morrison has entered the conversation with a blunt rebuke.

Grant Morrison Says Green Lantern’s Core Idea Isn’t “Stupid”

In a recent post on his Substack newsletter, Morrison responded to the controversy and strongly disagreed with Lindelof’s statements.

Despite what TV writer and producer Damon Lindelof said, Grant Morrison argues that the green color of the Green Lanterns is not ‘stupid’.

The famous comic book creator also wondered why any writer would take on a project if they didn’t appreciate the original idea behind it.

Morrison questioned why a writer would choose to work on a story they considered inherently foolish.

This criticism highlights a common complaint from comic book fans: that some recent adaptations try to change or soften the original stories instead of respecting them.

Morrison’s position appears to be the opposite: embrace the mythology rather than apologize for it.

Morrison Warns Lanterns Could Alienate the Only Audience That Matters

Grant Morrison pointed out a potential problem with the new Lanterns series: turning off dedicated Green Lantern fans could hurt the show before it even begins.

Grant Morrison questioned why the ‘Lanterns’ TV series would risk upsetting its core audience – Green Lantern fans – right from the beginning.

This warning comes amid ongoing online discussions about initial clips and promotional content for the HBO show.

As a big fan of Green Lantern, I’ve been hearing some complaints that the newer take feels… smaller. People seem disappointed that it’s moving away from the huge, universe-spanning battles and incredible visuals we’ve come to expect from the stories. They’re saying it’s too down-to-earth and lacks that classic cosmic scope.

Morrison Says Hollywood Keeps Hiring Creators Embarrassed by Comics

Grant Morrison used the situation with Lindelof and his work on Lanterns as an opportunity to highlight a pattern he sees happening often in Hollywood.

As a big film and comic book fan, I’ve noticed a frustrating trend. Grant Morrison pointed out something really insightful: studios often bring in creators who don’t get comics, or even seem a little embarrassed by the more outlandish stuff that makes them great. He believes this leads to movie adaptations that feel watered down and just don’t capture what fans actually love about the original stories. It’s like they’re trying to ‘fix’ comics instead of faithfully bringing them to life!

Morrison likened the issue to bringing on writers who dismiss the core idea of the stories they’re tasked with reimagining.

In his view, the problem isn’t the material — it’s the attitude toward it.

Morrison Says “Green Lanterns” Would Be a Better Title

Morrison also took issue with the show’s title.

He felt that calling the series Green Lanterns would be a more impactful and exciting title than just Lanterns. He believed dropping the “Green” part would weaken the established story and characters, not make it better.

This viewpoint supports his overall argument that many recent adaptations don’t seem willing to fully commit to the way stories are told in comic books.

A Harsh Warning for Hollywood

Morrison closed his comments with a sweeping criticism of the entertainment industry itself.

“Hollywood will die of insularity and inbreeding,” he said.

Although Morrison’s statements focus mainly on the creative thinking behind Lanterns, they touch on a bigger discussion happening in superhero stories generally: should new versions of comics update old ideas, or stay true to the original concepts?

Morrison Still Praises James Gunn

Although Grant Morrison voiced concerns about the creative choices for Lanterns, he emphasized that he doesn’t disapprove of DC Studios overall.

He recently complimented James Gunn’s Superman movie, calling it one of the best superhero films made so far. This indicates his concern isn’t with DC’s overall plans, but with a specific creative approach he feels is appearing in some of their projects.

The Lanterns Debate Isn’t Slowing Down

Now that Grant Morrison has weighed in, the conversation about HBO’s Lanterns series doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

Viewers are already debating if the show is too realistic and doesn’t capture the epic, universe-spanning adventures typically associated with Green Lantern.

Morrison’s remarks have intensified the existing concerns, leading to a crucial question that will probably be debated until the show launches: If the people making the show aren’t truly invested in its story, will viewers be able to connect with it?

2026-03-16 18:58