DC Studios’ Lanterns is set to premiere on August 16, 2026. The eight-episode superhero television series will air on HBO, with episodes also available to stream on HBO Max.
Based on the DC Comics Green Lantern characters Hal Jordan and John Stewart, it follows the veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan and the raw recruit John Stewart. When the mismatched pair is drawn to small-town Nebraska in the American heartland to investigate a localized murder, their routine assignment unravels into a sweeping conspiracy that threatens the entire planet.
The cast features Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as the main leads. The series also includes Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Laura Linney, Jason Ritter, Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, and Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner.
When will Lanterns premiere? Release timings in all regions
Lanterns will premiere on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO, with the episode also available to stream on HBO Max. The eight-episode series will release new episodes weekly until the season finale on October 4. Viewers outside the U.S. can catch the premiere according to their local time zones. Here is the expected release schedule for the premiere episode:
Where to watch Lanterns? Streaming options in all major regions
The series will mainly stream on HBO Max. In countries where HBO Max is available, viewers can watch the series directly through the service. Several markets, however, continue to receive HBO programming through local partners. Here is a list of all the streaming options in major regions:
- United States: Max (also airing on HBO Cable) $10.99/mo (Basic with Ads) / $18.49/mo (Standard Ad-Free).
- Canada: Crave at CA$9.99/mo (Basic with Ads) / CA$22.00/mo (Premium Ad-Free).
- United Kingdom: Sky TV / NOW (Sky Max) at £15.00/mo (Sky Stream Essential) / £9.99/mo (NOW Entertainment Pass).
- Australia: Binge / Foxtel at AU$10.00/mo (Binge Basic) / AU$22.00/mo (Binge Premium).
- New Zealand: Neon at NZ$19.99/mo.
- Continental Europe: Max (select markets) / Sky at €9.99/mo (Standard Max pricing varies by sub-region).
- India & South Asia: JioCinema (HBO / Max Hub) at ₹29/mo (JioCinema Premium).
- Latin America: Max at MXN$149/mo / R$29.90/mo (Varies by country).
What is Lanterns based on?
The series is based on DC Comics’ Green Lantern mythology, a superhero legacy that stretches back more than eight decades. The character first appeared in All-American Comics #16 in 1940, when artist Martin Nodell and writer Bill Finger introduced Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern.
Unlike the later Lanterns, Scott’s powers were rooted in magic and his ring was connected to a mystical green flame. The mythology was reinvented in 1959 with Hal Jordan, who debuted in Showcase #22. Jordan was a test pilot chosen by the dying alien Abin Sur to become the superhero of Earth’s sector.
His arrival transformed the concept into a cosmic mythology centered on the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic police force whose members use power rings fueled by willpower.
The series particularly draws from the stories of Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Stewart, a former Marine and architect, first appeared in Green Lantern #87 in 1971 and eventually became one of the Corps’ most respected leaders.
Stay tuned for more updates on HBO’s Lanterns.
Edited by Suchita Patnaha