Nathan Fillion's Green Lantern Has Already Booked His Second Appearance After James Gunn's Superman

Our first official introduction to James Gunn's and Peter Safran's newly-rebooted DC Universe isn't even out yet, but we already know at least one key player from "Superman" who will be gearing up for even more action to come. Remember, this is the start of a sprawling new franchise that should be Warner Bros.' latest attempt to keep up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe juggernaut, so that means some cross-pollinating characters reappearing from movie to movie, show to show, and, in this case, from the movies over to the small screen. That includes Nathan Fillion's bowl cut-wearing superhero Guy Gardner, who'll reportedly be suiting up again for the HBO "Lanterns" series.

The (somewhat expected) news comes courtesy of Entertainment Weekly, confirming that the show is being developed as part of the wider DC world and that fans can expect a healthy amount of crossover between various projects. More intriguingly for fans, this news also suggests that the traditionally comic book tone from Gunn's "Superman" isn't mutually exclusive with the more grounded, "True Detective"-based inspirations of "Lanterns." Fillion will be joining a power-packed cast that already includes "Rebel Ridge" star Aaron Pierre as a fresh-faced John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as his older mentor figure Hal Jordan. The series has previously been described as a "terrestrial-based mystery" involving the fan-favorite Green Lantern Corps, living up to their space-cop standards on Earth. The addition of Fillion's Guy Gardner, to state the obvious, adds a fascinating new wrinkle into the mix.

If two was already company, then the addition of a third ring-wielding hero into the mix in "Lanterns" is certainly a crowd — especially when the very angry-looking Guy Gardner appears to be a bit of a wild card in "Superman." It remains to be seen how the three heroes will end up sharing screen time in the series, though that appears to be a consistent theme in this new franchise. "Superman" has already come under scrutiny for its supposed ensemble focus, to the extent that Gunn himself has had to quell concerns that the big blue boy scout would be jockeying for the spotlight in his own movie. This seems to be a much more wide-open franchise than DC fans have been used to during years past, even during Zack Snyder's tenure as the main creative voice behind the various films leading up to "Justice League."

While fans can be safely expected to pay attention to HBO's upcoming "Lanterns" with just as much passion as "Superman" later this year, the question remains: Will general audiences do the same? "Superman" represents a pretty significant gamble for James Gunn and Peter Safran, as much is riding on the success of the blockbuster. The same applies to Warner Bros. as a whole, considering the string of high-profile theatrical disappointments that have suddenly placed even more pressure on "Superman" to deliver. As we speak, DC projects currently in production include the likes of "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" and "Lanterns," with more undoubtedly to follow should they perform as expected. Gunn is clearly taking no chances, adding even more reasons for casual fans to tune in when "Lanterns" hits HBO sometime in 2026. Meanwhile, "Superman" is set to fly into theaters July 11, 2025.