HBO Max Officially Brings Back ‘True Detective’ With Superpowers This Weekend
HBO Max is launching Lanterns this weekend, a new entry in DC Studios' slate that deliberately departs from typical superhero conventions. Positioned as a mystery-thriller fusion centred on the dynamic between veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan and rookie John Stewart, the series grounds its cosmic setting in noir storytelling, positioning itself as a detective procedural rather than an action-driven adventure. The narrative weaves their mentorship alongside an unfolding murder investigation that may involve the Manhunters, an adversarial force within the Corps.
The series arrives at a pivotal moment for DC Studios, following the successful launch of Superman but the weaker reception of Supergirl. Early reception has been exceptionally strong—the official trailer achieved 24 million views within three days, marking the highest-performing DC series trailer on HBO Max's platform. This level of audience engagement suggests the grounded, character-driven approach may resonate with viewers seeking a distinct alternative to conventional superhero fare.
- HBO Max premieres Lanterns on August 16, a Green Lantern series designed as a grounded mystery rather than typical superhero spectacle, pairing Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as seasoned and rookie members of the Corps
- The show's official trailer became HBO Max's most-viewed DC series trailer ever with 24 million views in 3 days, arriving as the studio seeks to rebuild momentum after recent box office underperformance
- Described by showrunner Chris Mundy as a 'buddy cop' drama, the series follows a murder investigation that may implicate the shapeshifting Manhunters, an ancient foe of the Green Lantern Corps
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Lanterns is a new HBO Max series set in the world of the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic group of space police who each wield a ring giving them great power. Rather than focusing on big action set pieces, the show is styled as a moody detective drama, following seasoned Lantern Hal Jordan as he mentors newcomer John Stewart while the pair investigate a murder that may be linked to the Manhunters, a hostile force connected to the Corps.
The series is part of a wider relaunch of DC's screen output under DC Studios, which has already released the film Superman and the TV series Supergirl this year with mixed results. Lanterns is being watched closely as a test of whether a slower, character-driven approach can work within a genre usually built around spectacle.