‘Lanterns’ Season 2: Showrunner Officially Confirms Status Following James Gunn’s Exit!!

Ever since James Gunn and Peter Safran were removed as DC Studios co-chairs and replaced by Jeremy Latcham, the future of the DCU reboot remains uncertain. While some projects, like Man of Tomorrow, are still scheduled for release, details on other established projects have left fans concerned, especially since several have found success and earned praise from audiences and critics alike.

Gunn and Safran were announced as co-leaders of DC Studios in 2022, and it wasn’t long before the Guardians of the Galaxy director unveiled plans to reboot DC‘s cinematic universe with Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, ending the Snyderverse and using 2023’s The Flash to (loosely) reset the universe. Then came Paramount Skydance‘s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., with initial reports suggesting that Gunn and Safran‘s positions were safe. The pair also shared their 10-year plan with new CEO David Ellison, who visited the set of Man of Tomorrow. However, with both executives now removed from their roles, the DCU‘s future is uncertain once more.

One question on fans’ minds is the HBO series Lanterns, which earned a 92% critics’ score and a 67% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The show followed Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as they investigate a murder case in Nebraska, which was caused by extra-terrestrial activity. Insiders reported (according to Variety) that Lanterns hasn’t “captured the zeitgeist” and hasn’t been renewed for a second season. However, showrunner Chris Mundy believes it could still return. According to The Playlist, Mundy discussed the show’s future at an FYC event in Westwood, California, saying there is a 50/50 chance the Green Lantern Corps will return. Here’s what he had to say:

“We thought everything had settled [after the merger]. I can imagine a world where everyone retreats to their corners, but then, you know, it’s a coin flip, 50/50.”

Why Were James Gunn and Peter Safran Removed From DC Studios?

Despite the success of the DCU, including Clayface, which grossed over $109 million worldwide and earned a 78% critics’ score and a 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, Gunn and Safran have stepped down from their leadership roles at DC Studios. According to reports, the duo’s departure followed concerns about their projects’ performance and their ability to keep audiences interested in the franchise. While 2025’s Superman was successful, grossing over $618 million worldwide, it failed to generate “lasting enthusiasm.” However, one could argue that Superman made an impact on pop culture, following a social media trend, “you need to nerd out,” that featured the song “Punkrocker” by Teddybears (ft. Iggy Pop), which played during the film’s final scene, and the song was used in over 60,000 videos on TikTok alone.Another setback was Supergirl‘s box office failure as it grossed over $126.5 million worldwide and drew mixed reviews, earning a 52% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Although Gunn will no longer lead DC Studios, he remains involved in several upcoming projects. The first is Man of Tomorrow, which will feature David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult returning as Superman and Lex Luthor, respectively, as they team up to face Brainiac. Gunn and Safran are also producing the upcoming television series The People v. Gorilla Grodd, a Superman spin-off starring Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen and Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd. Additionally, Creature Commandos is also supposed to be returning for a second season. However, the future of Gunn‘s other planned DCU projects remains uncertain, as Latcham will decide whether to continue the filmmaker’s vision.