Sorting out if James Gunn said Lanterns isn’t DCU canon
Think James Gunn said Lanterns isn’t DCU canon—let’s get to the bottom of that.
In the hours after the October 4 finale of Lanterns, a screenshot started bouncing around social media that looked like James Gunn saying on Threads the show isn’t DCU canon — only some characters are. That image is fabricated; Gunn hasn’t posted anything like it. The claim appears to trace back to a movie- fans account on X (formerly Twitter), and commenters were already calling it out as fake. For what it’s worth, early viewer response to the finale looks strong, with an 8.5 rating on IMDb.
Here’s the actual lay of the land: Lanterns is part of the DCU’s first chapter, Gods and Monsters. The series stars Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, and Stewart isn’t a dead-end thread — he’s expected to pop back up in a DCU film down the line.
John Stewart is set to appear again in Man of Tomorrow in 2027.
Season 2 prospects
Despite that momentum, HBO hasn’t officially renewed Lanterns for Season 2. The finale definitely leaves the door wide open, setting up multiple threads the show could chase:
- John’s claim on Earth — and how the Guardians respond
- Where Sinestro ends up after the finale’s events
- Kerry’s still-unresolved Gotham past
Co-creator Damon Lindelof told Collider the series was built to connect directly to the wider DCU and reiterated that John Stewart will appear in upcoming projects. Lindelof also said he doesn’t plan to return if there is a second season, which he described as being in early development.
As of now, there’s no renewal or timetable from HBO.