Lanterns release schedule: 2026 Episode Dates & Guide

The Lanterns release schedule follows a weekly Sunday rollout for the remaining 2026 episodes. Episode 4 is listed for September 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, with the final four episodes continuing weekly through October 4. The series is available through HBO Max and HBO according to the published schedule.

The first season is planned as an eight-episode story. The release pattern makes it easier to follow the investigation as John Stewart and Hal Jordan move deeper into a small-town mystery in Nebraska. The case also connects to the wider Green Lantern mythology through Sinestro, Guy Gardner, the Green Lantern Corps, and the Manhunters.

Video Highlights:

• Hal Jordan trains John Stewart to use a Green Lantern ring.
• The central investigation involves victims connected to an alien threat.
• Manhunters are described as dangerous beings capable of taking different forms.
• The trailer highlights tension between Hal Jordan and his replacement.
• Sinestro and Guy Gardner appear in the expanding DC storyline.

The schedule is most useful for viewers who prefer to watch the mystery unfold in order. Because the story follows an ongoing investigation rather than a standalone anthology format, watching each episode weekly helps preserve the progression of John’s journey and Hal’s role as his mentor.

The published release time is 9 p.m. ET/PT on Sundays. That listing combines Eastern Time and Pacific Time, so viewers should confirm the corresponding local time before an episode begins. HBO Max and HBO are the named viewing platforms in the schedule.

A weekly release also gives fans time to review character clues between episodes. The series combines a grounded investigation in Nebraska with cosmic Green Lantern lore, so details about the victims, the ring, and the Manhunters may become more important as the season progresses.

The schedule was published by CNET’s Lanterns episode release guide, which identifies the platform, release time, episode count, and remaining 2026 dates.

Lanterns centers on two Green Lanterns with different levels of experience and responsibility. Aaron Pierre plays John Stewart, while Kyle Chandler portrays Hal Jordan. John is introduced as a developing Lantern, and Hal serves as the more established figure guiding him through the investigation.

The story places the pair in a small Nebraska town, where a murder mystery gradually expands into a larger threat. The setup combines local investigation elements with science-fiction concepts connected to the Green Lantern mythology.

The trailer establishes a difficult professional relationship between Hal and John. John is still being trained, while Hal must decide how much responsibility to place on his replacement. That tension gives the release schedule more narrative importance: each weekly episode can add new information about the case while changing how the two Lanterns trust one another.

The Manhunters add another layer to the mystery. Their ability to take the form of different species makes identity and suspicion central themes. Viewers should pay attention to how characters describe the victims, the threat, and the possibility that danger may be closer than it appears.

The strongest way to follow the 2026 season is to track its major story threads instead of focusing only on action scenes. The release information confirms an investigation involving John and Hal, while the trailer points toward alien victims, Manhunters, and tension surrounding the Green Lantern ring.

The series also benefits from comparing its grounded and cosmic elements. A Nebraska investigation may appear separate from Green Lantern Corps history at first, but the trailer suggests that the two sides of the story are designed to intersect. Watching for those connections can make the weekly wait more rewarding.

The schedule below answers the most common questions about when and where to watch the series during 2026. Dates are based on the published remaining-episode listing available on September 8, 2026.