The next series to take shape in James Gunn’s DCU is Lanterns – a project for streaming that takes the place of a previous Green Lantern Corps series in development under Walter Hamada and DC Films for HBO Max.
We probably won’t see the ring slingers, except for one, take flight until after the former Superman Legacy’s bow. Nathan Fillion will be Guy Gardner in the film, and aside from fan art, his attire and hairstyle are a mystery. (Knowing Gunn, the orange bowl is probably coming back.)
When the rest answer the call and speak the oath, they will be guided by the creative team of Damon Lindelof, Ozark showrunner Chris Mundy, and divisive comic book writer Tom King – whom Gunn gave a special seat in the DC Studios writers’ room.
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“Yes, it’s true,” Gunn confirmed on Instagram.
“The Lanterns DCU series is putting together a crack team of writers, based on a wonderful pilot script and bible by Chris Mundy, Tom King, and Damon Lindelof. A hearty welcome to Chris and @damonlindelof as they join the DC Studios family (no welcome necessary for old @tomking_tk, who has been here nearly since inception),” he added.
When the series was announced, Gunn also confirmed a few of the Corpsmen who will feature and then teased the genre of TV he and the others will draw inspiration from. “This is a story of a couple of Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan,” Gunn said via Comicbookmovie.
“We have a few other Lanterns peppered in there but this is really a [terrestrial-based] TV show which is almost like True Detective with a couple of Green Lanterns who are space cops watching over Precinct Earth in it they discover a terrifying mystery that ties into our largest story of the DCU,” he continued.
Gunn sounds excited, but it may (or more likely may not) surprise you that not everyone is enthused about who he’s hired. A prominent voice calling out Gunn, and reminding his viewers of past comments by the Slither director, is YouTuber and critic Mr. H Reviews.
The British commentator sees Lindelof, who he said “sucks,” and King as weak links in the chain. “If you don’t like Tom King,” he pointed out, “then you won’t like DC [Studios].” Many don’t and won’t be thrilled that King’s fingerprints will be all over more than just Lanterns.
MHR then shows Gunn was no fan of Lindelof either over a decade ago. In 2012, before Marvel made him one of the biggest directors in Hollywood, Gunn criticized Lindelof for the finale of his breakthrough series Lost, which was a letdown for audiences everywhere.
“Lindelof is close to Satan in my book because of the end of Lost. He’s the Uri Gellar of storytellers, a total scam artist with no integrity whatsoever. And a liar,” Gunn said in a Facebook comment.
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Though his comment can be written off as a joke, Mr. H still thinks it calls into question Gunn’s honesty and integrity, which he says puts Gunn in good company with Lindelof. “It’s sort of funny he’s been exposed as a raging hypocrite,” said MHR.
What changed in 12 years is hard to say, but MHR guesses it was a combination of money and a lack of talent in Hollywood that left producers stuck with whomever they could get, especially in the current social climate.
There could be a glimmer of hope if Chris Mundy winds up as the Lanterns showrunner, but as far as MHR sees it, the DCU doesn’t have a bright future based on the handling. Beyond Lindelof and Tom King writing shows, the Superman suit reveal was a total failure outside its quality as a meme.
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