Damon Lindelof, the co-creator of the seminal sci-fi mystery series Lost, is taking a deliberate approach to his new project, Lanterns, aiming to avoid the narrative frustrations some viewers experienced with his earlier work. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the series premiere on August 16, Lindelof explained that lessons learned from Lost's six-season run have informed the strategy for the DC Universe show.
Lost, which chronicled the survivors of Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 stranded on a mysterious island, became known for its intricate plotlines and slow reveal of information. Lindelof acknowledged that the show's inherent mystery-driven nature created a tension with the network's desire to extend its run, which in turn made delivering satisfying answers a challenge. "We had to aggressively fight for an end date as early as when the show premiered," Lindelof stated. "For a show that had a mystery engine, the audience was saying ‘When are you going to tell us what the fuck is going on here?’ We’re like, ‘We really want to, but once we start answering mysteries, the show is coming down the hill, it’s closer to the end.’"
Lindelof also cited his 2019 limited series Watchmen as an example of a different storytelling philosophy, one that successfully concluded all its mysteries and character arcs within nine episodes. For Lanterns, however, he and co-creator and showrunner Chris Mundy are pursuing a hybrid approach.
"He said, ‘I want to tell a complete story. We’re going to do a mystery, and then, more importantly, we’re going to have a relationship story between these two guys that feels resolved at the end of the story that we’re telling,’" Lindelof said of Mundy's vision. "We want the audience to be really hungry for more when it ends. I think that it feels like it was a really good meal, but a couple of hours after you’ve consumed it, you’re going to say, ‘I think I want to spend some more time in that world.’"
Lindelof emphasized that the core of Lanterns, much like the most resonant aspects of Lost, lies in its characters. "It’s all about the characters and their humanity," he explained. "If you start and approach the material and you’re having conversations about rings, planets, aliens, and all that stuff, you’re in the wrong territory. The territory is who are these guys? Where do they come from? What does Hal want? What does John want?"
The series follows veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, as he mentors John Stewart, portrayed by Aaron Pierre. While embracing some buddy cop conventions, the dynamic between Jordan and Stewart is described by Lindelof as a "love story and a mutual respect story," with elements akin to a brotherly relationship. Both characters are also navigating complex relationships with their own fathers, a theme that will be explored throughout the show's eight episodes.
Lanterns will weave its character-focused narrative with a mystery involving extraterrestrials and a mass shooting in Rushville, Nebraska. The first episode is now available on HBO Max, with subsequent episodes airing Sundays through October 4. While a second season has not been officially greenlit, John Stewart is slated to appear in James Gunn's 2027 film, Man of Tomorrow.