Lanterns is proving the new DCU can work – when they want it to

When James Gunn took over DC Studios, he was given an important mission the franchise had previously struggled to accomplish: build a connected universe that audiences could actually believe in. 

The previous DC Extended Universe (DCEU) was plagued by inconsistent storytelling and a sense of building toward something bigger without a clear long-term plan. Now, Gunn’s new DC Universe (DCU) has the opportunity to start over. 

The right way.

And “Lanterns” is a clear example of why the new approach should succeed.

Rather than just another generic superhero series, “Lanterns” demonstrates what the DCU can become when its projects are allowed to have their own identities while still contributing to a much larger universe. The series is more grounded, following the history of the Green Lanterns from the cosmos down to Earth through its main characters, Hal Jordan and John Stewart.

This gives the series a different identity from the first film introduced within Gunn’s new Universe, “Superman,” which embraces a more traditional superhero adventure. 

With Gunn giving full creative control to writers Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King, the connected universe loses that sense of all contributions offering the same tone or visual style. In fact, making every DCU project feel identical could eventually become one of its biggest weaknesses. 

“Lanterns” shows that a superhero universe can contain different kinds of stories, even those outside Earth, while still maintaining continuity. One project can be bright and optimistic while the other can be a grounded crime thriller. 

That difference matters a lot when rebuilding a franchise.

Fans watching “Lanterns” also expect Gunn to expand the scale of the DCU. Superman establishes a world where superheroes, aliens and other mythical creatures can coexist, but the Green Lantern part of the DC Universe has the potential to take that world beyond just that.

The Green Lantern Corps connects Earth to civilizations, planets and threats far beyond it. With this, the DCU isn’t just bound to the Justice League or a collection of characters gathering in different cities; there is an entire universe outside Earth waiting to be explored.

This gives future DCU projects infinite possibilities. The series can introduce audiences to a different section of the DCU that hasn’t been explored in live action before. “Lanterns” can simply establish its characters and mythology first, allowing future stories to build upon them organically.

That’s how a shared universe should grow. It should feel normal and natural.

Ultimately, ”Lanterns” cannot prove that the DCU can succeed on its own. James Gunn and DC Studios still have to maintain consistency, resist rushing toward massive crossovers and, most importantly, let stories breathe. 

The new DCU doesn’t need to immediately compete with Marvel’s biggest franchises. It needs to prove it can tell good stories in a world audiences want to keep exploring and coming back to; it has to give fans something to believe in again.

“Lanterns” is encouraging because it suggests that the pieces are there, and they’re slowly coming together. A globe-trotting Superman story can feel different from a Green Lantern mystery. A future Batman project can feel different from both. As long as their stories share a believable world and their connections serve their respective stories rather than simply existing for fan service, the DCU can become something serious, something previous attempts struggled to achieve.

A universe doesn’t become successful because everything connects. It becomes successful when every star can shine on its own.

And if DC Studios gives “Lanterns” and the rest of the DCU the room to build naturally, Gunn’s ambitious reboot may finally have a chance to do exactly that.