DC's Lanterns Sequel Will Show How Powerful John Stewart Has Become

Published Nov 9, 2026, 5:31 PM EST Felipe Rangel is a Movie and TV Journalist ScreenRant. He has been writing about movies and TV since 2021. Felipe joined ScreenRant in 2022, working across different teams, covering everything from breaking news to features to reviews and more. Felipe is a writer who is an avid film and TV fan, with superhero movies and series being his biggest passion. He graduated from college in 2019, having studied Journalism. Before college, he spent a month studying at the Oxford English Centre. His superhero knowledge expands to the comics, with his undergraduate thesis being "Politics Reflected In American Comics." The DC Universe might be undergoing its most complicated phase by far right now, but Lanterns already has a confirmed sequel on the way, and it will allow fans of the Green Lantern John Stewart to really see how powerful he has become in the franchise. There is no denying that all the attention when it comes to the DCU right now has shifted beyond the screen. James Gunn and Peter Safran are no longer in charge of DC Studios, with former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham now serving as the new President and Chief Creative Officer of DC. For now, it has yet to be revealed what the future holds for Gunn's DC Universe. Latcham could very well scrap the franchise and start anew, like Gunn and Safran did with the DCEU. That said, the most likely path is for the executive to forge a new path ahead, with all or most of the DCU projects that have already been filmed staying on the slate. Among those projects confirmed to be on the way is a sequel story of sorts to HBO's Lanterns series, which will bring back multiple Green Lanterns. Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner was the first Green Lantern to appear in the DCU, debuting in 2025's Superman movie. Recently, he returned as part of the cast of HBO's Lanterns, though the sci-fi detective series' main stars were Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart. While Lanterns season 2 has yet to be announced, two of those heroes will return next year. John Stewart Returns In Man Of Tomorrow After Lanterns Fillion and Pierre will be back as Guy Gardner and John Stewart, respectively, in Gunn's Man of Tomorrow, the Superman sequel that will fly into theaters on July 9, 2027. In Lanterns, John was a Green Lantern trainee, still learning the ropes from Chandler's Hal, a Green Lantern Corps veteran. As such, while John was physically capable, and he showed he had impressive willpower and was also able to create some intricate energy constructs, in terms of superhero fights, John, even with the Green Lantern ring, would not have been a match for characters like David Corenswet's Superman. In fact, John barely used the Green Lantern ring to fight in HBO's Lanterns, which means that DC fans have not gotten to see all the incredible tricks he can pull with the weapon in the comics. This is where Man of Tomorrow comes in. The 2027 DCU movie will feature Superman, Supergirl, the Justice Gang, John Stewart — reportedly the debut of the new Wonder Woman — the Superman villain Lex Luthor, and possibly more heroes against Brainiac, a powerful cosmic threat. John will have some time as the Green Lantern in charge of protecting Earth under his belt when Man of Tomorrow arrives, showing how powerful he has become. Man Of Tomorrow Could Be A Problem For Lanterns Season 2 Right now, given how Lanterns season 2 has yet to be confirmed despite the first season having broken viewership records, it seems like DC Studios' leadership change will define the show's future. If Lanterns ends up coming back for more on HBO, the fact that Pierre will appear in Man of Tomorrow before then could end up creating a key problem for the show. After all, the DCU movie will presumably see the Green Lantern flying around and using several constructs to fight Brainiac and any possible enforcers or minions working for the villain. Man of Tomorrow is a full-on superhero action-packed movie, while HBO's Lanterns season 1 was a slow-burning detective sci-fi story. As such, the fans' excitement for the show might diminish if they get to see John Stewart have this grand adventure and then return for another more grounded detective story with some Green Lantern powers thrown into the mix. So, for Lanterns season 2 to feel just as exciting and fresh as the first season, maybe it really needs to go cosmic or change its tone to a more action-forward series if the focus is still to remain on John Stewart on Earth. Lanterns Release Date August 16, 2026 Network HBO Lanterns is a 2026 DC superhero detective series centered on veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan and new recruit John Stewart. The two intergalactic peacekeepers investigate a murder in Nebraska, drawing them into a dark Earth-based mystery with deeper implications for both men. Man of Tomorrow Release Date July 9, 2027 Director James Gunn Writers James Gunn Producers Peter Safran, James Gunn Prequel(s) Superman Franchise(s) Superman, DCU Cast Nicholas Hoult Lex Luthor Rachel Brosnahan Lois Lane Man of Tomorrow marks a new chapter in the Superman saga, as Superman teams up with longtime adversary Lex Luthor to face the formidable villain Brainiac.