The quick answer: Lanterns premieres Sunday, August 16, at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT on HBO and HBO Max in the United States. The season has eight episodes, and one new episode arrives each Sunday through October 4.
There was some confusion over whether HBO planned to release the whole season at once. It does not. Lanterns is following HBO’s usual weekly schedule, so the mystery around Hal Jordan and John Stewart will unfold over almost two months.
Lanterns full episode release schedule
These dates follow the announced weekly rollout. HBO has not revealed every episode title yet, but the calendar is straightforward:
- Episode 1 — Sunday, August 16
- Episode 2 — Sunday, August 23
- Episode 3 — Sunday, August 30
- Episode 4 — Sunday, September 6
- Episode 5 — Sunday, September 13
- Episode 6 — Sunday, September 20
- Episode 7 — Sunday, September 27
- Episode 8 — Sunday, October 4
Each US episode is expected at 9:00 p.m. Eastern and 6:00 p.m. Pacific. If HBO changes a date or time during the run, this guide will be updated.
What time does Lanterns Episode 1 come out?
Lanterns Episode 1 airs at 9:00 p.m. ET on HBO on August 16 and becomes available on HBO Max at the same time. That is 8:00 p.m. Central and 6:00 p.m. Pacific.
In the UK, the premiere lands at 2:00 a.m. BST on Monday, August 17. New episodes are available through HBO Max, Sky Atlantic, and NOW. The date looks one day later because the episode releases overnight in the UK.
Availability outside the US and UK depends on local HBO Max partners and regional schedules. If the service is not offered directly where you live, check the local platform carrying HBO programs before the premiere. The weekly dates may appear one calendar day later in regions where the US broadcast arrives after midnight.
The official HBO announcement confirms the August 16 premiere, 9:00 p.m. ET start, and eight-episode season. The full weekly calendar is also tracked in GamesRadar’s release guide.
Where can you watch Lanterns?
US viewers can watch Lanterns live on HBO or stream it on HBO Max. You need access to the channel or an active streaming subscription; the series is not scheduled for a free release.
The show is an HBO drama produced with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios. It is part of the connected DC Universe rather than a continuation of the 2011 Green Lantern movie.
Is Lanterns releasing all at once?
No. HBO is releasing one episode per week. The confusion came from wording around all eight episodes “debuting” on August 16, but the network’s August schedule lists a weekly rollout.
A weekly release suits this particular show. Lanterns is built around a murder investigation, so clues, suspects, and theories will have time to breathe between episodes instead of disappearing inside one weekend-long binge.
What is Lanterns about?
Lanterns pairs John Stewart, a new Green Lantern recruit played by Aaron Pierre, with veteran Lantern Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler. They are sent into a murder investigation in the American heartland that carries much larger cosmic consequences.
The setup is closer to a tense detective drama than a nonstop trip through space. That does not mean the Green Lantern mythology is missing. The official trailer shows the rings, other Lanterns, and threats tied to the wider DC Universe, but the case on Earth is the way into the story.
Kelly Macdonald, Laura Linney, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Ulrich Thomsen, Jason Ritter, and Jasmine Cephas Jones are part of the cast. Nathan Fillion also returns as Guy Gardner after appearing in the DCU’s Superman projects.
Pixel Twelve’s DC coverage also includes Milly Alcock’s Supergirl award win and a closer look at what Supergirl’s box office meant for the young DCU.
Do you need to watch anything before Lanterns?
You can start with Lanterns. The story introduces John Stewart as a new recruit, which gives viewers a natural way into the Green Lantern Corps without needing a stack of comic-book homework.
Knowing Guy Gardner from Superman or Supergirl may add context, but it is not required to understand the main investigation. The 2011 Green Lantern film is from a different continuity and is not part of this version of the DCU.
