HBO’s new DC series Lanterns will take over the broadcaster’s Sunday 9pm ET slot this weekend following the end of House of the Dragon’s third season. The programme is the first major live-action DCU series centred on a popular DC hero, making it an important test of audience confidence in James Gunn’s wider franchise plans.

The eight-episode series begins on 16 August and will air weekly without breaks, concluding on 4 October; it will be available exclusively through HBO Max. The launch follows reported cancellations of several planned DC projects and the poor box-office performance of Supergirl, increasing pressure on Lanterns to improve sentiment around the DCU.