DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn earned widespread acclaim for his work in the MCU, but he's quickly discovered that running a studio is a lot more challenging than writing and directing a movie.
Despite taking charge of the DCU alongside Peter Safran, Gunn specifically has faced an increased level of scrutiny from fans. That's definitely the case with projects he's not behind the camera for, and he's recently had to contend with a noticeable level of negativity aimed at both Supergirl and Lanterns.
The former, originally billed as an adaptation of the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic book, seems to have little in common with the source material (particularly in terms of visuals). Lanterns, meanwhile, has been heavily criticised by fans and creatives alike, largely because it's grounded the Green Lantern Corps in a series that has more in common with True Detective than, say, Star Wars.
In fairness, it was always described as being in that vein, but it seems many fans still didn't anticipate the show being more about two regular guys—with one ring between them—wandering around the American Heartland than an action-packed CG-heavy adventure.
In a new interview, Lanterns showrunner Chris Mundy was asked whether making the series more in line with HBO's typical fare than a superhero TV series was a challenge.
"It was less challenging than it was just exciting. Our take was that we have this incredibly rich mythology within the Green Lantern canon, and we have this incredibly rich history of Sunday night HBO shows—everything from The Sopranos to Game of Thrones and in between."
"The fun of it was to try to create a real, layered drama that dealt with who these characters are as human beings while still staying true to the spirit of what makes the comics so special," he continued. "We wanted it to be accessible for anyone who doesn’t know the canon but, at the same time, satisfying for people who know the lore in minute detail."
"So, yes, it was challenging, but only in the way that the most fun things are," Mundy added, seemingly confirming fan theories that Lanterns being on HBO meant it had to become a series that fits in with the cable network's typical aesthetic.
Despite the current negative buzz, a second trailer with some classic comic book imagery could completely change the narrative. Plus, regardless of whether Lanterns exceeds expectations or disappoints fans, John Stewart will return in Man of Tomorrow, where he's likely to be portrayed in a manner that's far more in line with what's on the page.
Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.
Alongside Kyle Chander and Aaron Pierre, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Nicole Ari Parker, Jason Ritter, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Jasmine Cephas Jones round out the cast.
The pilot is co-written by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, who are co-creators for the series. Mundy serves as showrunner. The first two episodes are directed by James Hawes, with Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel and Alik Sakharov also tapped to direct.
Lanterns is executive produced by Mundy, Lindelof, James Gunn, Peter Safran, King, Ron Schmidt, and Hawes, and is based on the DC comic characters from Green Lantern.
Lanterns is set to premiere on HBO in August.