‘Lanterns’ Just Became One of HBO’s Biggest New Shows Ever, Behind Only ‘House of the Dragon’ and ‘The Last of Us’

Superhero television has spent the last few years fighting a reputation for fatigue, and the DCU has had its share of skeptics. So when a lesser-known Green Lantern story starts being compared with HBO’s biggest hits, it’s worth paying attention. The numbers behind the ‘Lanterns’ HBO success story are climbing fast.

The series premiered on August 16 and ran for eight episodes through its October 4 finale. Created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King, it stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as rookie John Stewart. The pair head to Rushville, Nebraska, to investigate a strange crime, in a story that leans more on murder mystery and character work than on spectacle.

Now the viewership figures have put it in elite company. According to streaming commentator Luiz Fernando, ‘Lanterns’ is quickly becoming HBO’s No. 3 most successful first season, behind only ‘House of the Dragon’ and ‘The Last of Us.’ It also reportedly beat ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.”

The premiere got off to a big start. Warner Bros. Discovery announced 9.3 million global viewers over its first three days, including 6.6 million in the U.S., which made it the biggest DC Studios premiere in HBO Max history. Fernando’s figures put the premiere at 20 million viewers since its debut.

What’s unusual is the growth. Episode 3 pulled in 10 million global viewers in three days, including 7 million in the U.S., more than the premiere managed over the same period two weeks earlier. That was the show’s best worldwide result, and it suggests positive word of mouth kept spreading.

On FlixPatrol’s HBO Max chart, the show also overtook ‘House of the Dragon’ after the second episode. It hit a series-high 568 points on August 26 as the dragon drama fell to 463.

Context matters, though. ‘Lanterns’ was averaging nearly 19 million viewers per episode worldwide heading into the finale, combining Nielsen’s linear measurements with HBO Max streams. That’s well short of the biggest names, which have recently posted per-episode averages of 37 million for ‘The Last of Us’ season 2, 36 million for ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ and 33 million for ‘House of the Dragon’ season 3.

For a new superhero show built around lesser-known characters, it’s still a major result. It also climbed Nielsen’s streaming chart to No. 7 with 534 million minutes watched, its third straight week on the list and its biggest number yet.

The audience growth has been matched by critical praise. The series holds a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes from more than 130 reviews, with much of the praise aimed at the prickly dynamic between Chandler and Pierre’s characters. Critics also liked its willingness to let the murder mystery breathe rather than rushing toward superhero spectacle.

GamesRadar’s review gave it 4.5 stars, arguing that it proved the DCU is back on track. Collider has called it a global streaming hit, noting it has topped HBO Max’s chart according to FlixPatrol.

Here’s the catch: the show hasn’t been renewed. HBO hasn’t ordered a second season, and the network’s boss Casey Bloys has said none is in development. The Ankler reported that a renewal is “not imminent,” with HBO waiting on pitch pages from a writers’ room led by Mundy and Christopher Cantwell.

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn did call the finale a “season finale,” though that isn’t a renewal. Lindelof and King won’t be returning if HBO gives the go-ahead. Comparisons to ‘The Penguin,’ which averaged more than 27 million viewers per episode and never got a second season, show why fans remain nervous.

No evil shall escape their sight. Watch the official trailer now. #Lanterns arrives August 16 on @hbomax. https://t.co/PQdkto9G2R

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) July 24, 2026

For now, the numbers speak for themselves. If the finale pushes the show’s final tally higher, HBO will have a hard time ignoring the case for a return. Until then, Hal and John’s story sits in limbo.

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