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The Rotten Tomatoes result for Lanterns is out and it’s quite positive! However, critics agree that another DCU project is better than the latest installment. The project was released in 2024 and has the highest Tomatometer score among all DCU projects.
The newly released HBO Max show Lanterns has received an 89% score based on 35 reviews as of the time of writing this article. These reviews come from critics who have watched the early screeners of the pilot when the review embargo lifted on August 14, 2026.
However, despite being one of the top-rated TV shows in the DCU, it is not the highest-rated show on the review platform. The DC animated series Creature Commandos currently sits at a 95% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes.
This score is followed by the studio’s second-highest-rated show, Peacemaker Season 2, with a 94% on the Tomatometer. However, since the Lanterns’ number is based on early screenings, it could fluctuate in the near future as more reviews come in.
Why the Lanterns reviews are making DCU fans excited to finally watch the show
Lanterns is one of the highest-rated DC shows, with positive reviews and fans anticipating the official premiere. The critic consensus on Rotten Tomatoes read, “Lanterns lights the way to a controlled and fantastical escape, in which Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre bring audiences into their world of wonder through fearless performances, grounded writing, and charismatic chemistry.”
Most reviewers have praised the show’s writing by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, while others have praised the actors’ performances. Robert Lloyd wrote for the Los Angeles Times, “The series is fresh enough in its details and execution, and strong enough in its writing, and so well performed, that it feels quite original.”
Empire Magazine’s Amon Warmann wrote, “The grounded and gritty approach pays dividends for Lanterns, which gives the DCU a much-needed win.” Ben Travers from IndieWire added, “It is keenly invested in the fears we carry, what they mean to the world, and how they define our humanity.”
Lanterns follows the recruit John Stewart and the legend Hal Jordan as intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery when they investigate a murder in the American heartland. The show will officially premiere on HBO Max on August 16, 2026.
