DC Studios positions 'Lanterns' as connected-universe foundation with Lindelof, King and Mundy

DC Studios, under James Gunn and Peter Safran, has positioned 'Lanterns' as a foundational piece of its connected film and television universe. Chris Mundy (showrunner), Damon Lindelof and Eisner winner Tom King co-created the HBO series and wrote its first episode. The August 2026 premiere drew 9.3 million viewers in three days, per The Hollywood Reporter — the biggest DC Studios debut on HBO Max.