Chris Mundy, co-creator of HBO’s Lanterns, says he wants a Lanterns season 2 if audiences keep watching. In a new interview with Collider ahead of the finale, Mundy laid out how the writers built the show’s mix of noir mystery and Green Lantern mythology, and what a second run could look like.
Lanterns follows Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as they investigate a murder in Rushville, Nebraska, a case that pulls in the Manhunter (Poorna Jagannathan) and, eventually, Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion). Mundy said the writers room deliberately delayed the show’s comic book elements to let the central partnership between Hal and John settle first.
Mundy also shared a smaller story from the writers room. The choice of Brand New Key as the jukebox song Hal picks to start a bar fight came from a group text with co-creators Damon Lindelof and Tom King, who suggested the song within seconds of being asked. Mundy said he still laughs at the scene every time he watches it.
Why a Lanterns season 2 is still an open question
Mundy stopped short of confirming a second season, but said the door is open. The general feeling is if people are interested, knock on wood, if people like the show, and there seems to be enough interest, we would love to do it, he said. He added that the current season is built to stand on its own while leaving room to continue, saying emotionally, there’s so much more to keep going with.
Guy Gardner goes further than the Superman version
Mundy discussed the decision to push Fillion’s Guy Gardner past the comic relief version James Gunn introduced in Superman. He said the character’s early friction with John Stewart gave the writers license to take it one step further, and that Fillion’s performance earned the trust of the room to keep that tone. Mundy called Fillion so good at selling the balance between the character’s arrogance and humor.
Episode 3 moved up for a reason
Mundy also revealed that John Stewart’s character-focused episode, which airs third in the season, was originally scripted as episode five. The team pulled it earlier once they felt confident the world of the first two episodes had been established, prioritizing a deeper look at John and Hal’s relationship over pure momentum in the Rushville murder plot.
Easter eggs stayed limited on purpose
Fans have already spotted references to other Lanterns, including Ch’p and Mogo, in the show’s dialogue. Mundy said the writers discussed adding more direct cameos but chose restraint, saving Sinestro’s fuller presence for later episodes instead of crowding the season with extra characters. We felt like our story was full enough, he said, adding that the choice kept focus on Hal and John.
New episodes of Lanterns air Sundays on HBO and HBO Max.