With the DC Universe now in full swing, there are several upcoming projects fans are excited to see. Perhaps the most intriguing is the TV series Lanterns, which puts a True Detective spin on the superhero genre to tell a compelling story about Green Lantern Corps. members Hal Jordan and John Stewart. The premise alone is enough to make Lanterns one of the most anticipated TV series of next year, but DC fans are also eager to see the Green Lanterns finally be the stars of a title that does the characters justice following the underwhelming 2011 film. As a result, people are searching the internet for anything they can find about Lanterns, but they need to be cautious.
Videos by ComicBook.com
On Threads, James Gunn responded to a fan inquiring if two images purportedly from Lanterns were legitimate. “Nope, that’s AI,” Gunn wrote in his reply. Check out a screen shot of the exchange in the space below:
DC Fans Need To Be Careful Until a Lanterns Trailer Is Officially Released
The DCU isn’t the only comic book franchise that has to deal with AI-generated “leaks.” Recently, a string of fake Avengers: Doomsday set photos circulated around social media, highlighting how difficult it is for fans to trust anything that doesn’t come straight from an official source. It’s disappointing that this continues to be a problem (no excited fan wants to be tricked by AI images), but it’s an unfortunate reality of the world we live in. There’s nothing preventing someone from generating eerily lifelike images with AI software and passing them off as real photos, so the best thing for fans to do their due diligence, learn about the “tells” of AI, and just follow official accounts of the talent involved with productions.
Though Lanterns isn’t scheduled to release until late summer 2026, it’s easy to understand why fans wanted clarification on these images. HBO Max screened Lanterns footage during an upfront presentation, and those who weren’t in attendance were probably hoping said footage would find its way online so they could get a proper look at the series. The AI-generated images Gunn debunked are presented as if they’re shots from the show, with visual effects in place to portray the ring powers. At first glance, they look real enough (and they capture the True Detective vibe Lanterns is striving for), so it’s great Gunn is willing to take the time to clear things up for curious viewers.
Unfortunately, it’s probably going to be a while until the Lanterns marketing campaign kicks off. The series premiere was pushed back from early 2026 to late summer, so there’s no real need to unveil promotional materials now. Since Lanterns is an HBO Max show, there isn’t a box office haul to worry about. Unlike major event movies, which sometimes get a teaser a year in advance, HBO and DC Studios can wait until it’s much closer to the Lanterns release date to start raising awareness and building hype. Perhaps there will be a snippet in some kind of HBO 2026 preview sizzle reel, but a full look at Lanterns probably won’t be released until at least the spring. As a comparison, the first footage from Peacemaker Season 2 was released in May 2025, three months before the debut.
It’s frustrating for fans that they’re likely in for an extended wait before being treated to some Lanterns teases (outside of the one still of stars Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler that’s been released), but that wait should be worth it. With the extra time the creative team has thanks to the release date delay, they’ll be able to fine tune the visual effects, ensuring the first official footage of Lanterns leaves a memorable first impression. The show is going to be integral to the larger DCU plans that are in motion, so patience is the best approach here.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Courtesy of Netflix
