Here’s how to watch new DC Universe show ‘Lanterns’ premiere

HBO Sunday nights are getting a little greener.

“Lanterns,” the third TV series in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe, premieres tonight, Aug. 16, on HBO and HBO Max. The series comes from Chris Mundy, Tom King, and the acclaimed creator of “Lost” and “Watchmen” Damon Lindeloff.

The series follows two Green Lanterns (essentially intergalactic peacekeepers with powers) — the experienced Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) — as they investigate a murder on Earth.

When the initial DCU slate was presented in 2023, Safran called “Lanterns” a “huge HBO-quality event” and compared its gritty, street-level murder-mystery plot to another HBO hit, “True Detective.”

Ahead of its premiere tonight, “Lanterns” holds a 90% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating critical acclaim.

‘Lanterns’ premiere time: What time does ‘Lanterns’ come out?

The series premiere of “Lanters” will be released at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max tonight, Aug. 16 — the same date and time it premieres on the HBO cable channel.

How to watch and stream ‘Lanterns’

If you don’t get HBO through traditional cable, you’ll need an HBO Max subscription to tune in to “Lanterns.” If you’re new to HBO Max, you can sign up for as low as $10.99/month with ads, but an ad-free subscription will cost $18.49/month.

If you want to stream even more and save a few bucks a month while you’re at it, we recommend subscribing to one of the discounted Disney+ Bundles with Hulu and HBO Max. With ads, the bundle costs $19.99/month and without ads, $32.99/month.

‘Lanterns’ episode release schedule

“Lanterns” will have eight episodes, airing weekly at 9 p.m. ET. See the full release schedule below.

• Episode 1: Aug. 16
• Episode 2: Aug. 23
• Episode 3: Aug. 30
• Episode 4: Sept. 6
• Episode 5: Sept. 13
• Episode 6: Sept. 20
• Episode 7: Sept. 27
• Episode 8: Oct. 4

‘Lanterns’ cast

“Lanterns” features three of the core Green Lanterns as part of its main cast. Nathan Fillion reprises his “Superman” role as Guy Gardner, while Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre make their DCU debuts as Hal Jordan and John Stewart, respectively.

Kelly Macdonald co-stars as Kerry, a sheriff in Nebraska who becomes a love interest for Hal Jordan.

The series also stars the following actors in recurring or guest roles:

• Garret Dillahunt as William Macon
• Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe
• Ulrich Thomsen as Thaal Sinestro
• Nicole Ari Parker as Bernadette Stewart
• Jason Ritter as Billy Macon
• Sherman Augustus as John Stewart Sr.
• Paul Ben-Victor as Antaan
• Chris Coy as Waylon Sanders
• Cary Christopher
• Laura Linney as a member of the Guardians of the Universe
• Paula Patton

How does ‘Lanterns’ fit into the DCU?

As “Lanterns” is set in both 2016 and 2026, the events of last summer’s “Superman” happened in between the series’ two timelines. It also shares one major actor — Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner.

‘Lanterns’ trailer

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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for the New York Post, Page Six, and Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with information on how to watch all of your favorite reality TV shows and movies on each streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, celebrities and pop culture. Prior to joining The Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews