If you have spent even five minutes on the internet, you will know that every laugh Aaron Pierre has flashed during Lanterns promotions has been turned into a running joke about John Stewart’s struggle to finally get Hal Jordan’s ring. And if Season 2 is in the cards, Pierre might want to start laughing a little louder.

HBO’s Lanterns has finally wrapped its first season, but the Green Lantern story may be far from over. The DCU series turned a superhero origin into a grounded murder mystery, following veteran Lantern Hal Jordan and rookie John Stewart through an investigation that eventually opened the door to a much larger cosmic mythology.

HBO has not officially renewed the series for Season 2, but there are already several encouraging signs that another chapter could be on the way. So, could Lanterns return?

The biggest clue for a potential second season comes from John Stewart himself. After solving the mystery surrounding Hal Jordan’s death, John chooses to continue protecting Earth, effectively stepping into his own role as a Green Lantern. The finale also sees him make it clear that he wants to handle Earth while Guy Gardner deals with matters in the cosmos, giving the show a potential direction for its next chapter.

Showrunner Chris Mundy, in a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, has confirmed that keeping the series grounded was part of the thinking behind that ending. He suggested that a potential Season 2 could continue with Earth-based mysteries and detective cases while still leaving room for the larger DCU mythology to enter when the story calls for it.

That could give Season 2 a slightly different shape. Instead of another mystery centered on Hal, John could operate as Earth’s Green Lantern while investigating strange cases that gradually expose more of the Corps and its mythology.

The finale also leaves several intriguing threads hanging. Sheriff Kerry’s mysterious past remains deliberately unresolved, with Mundy confirming that the creative team wanted to keep that part of her story open.

Then there is Noah Macon. The finale reveals that Noah is a Manhunter-human hybrid who helped free Sinestro from Space Azkaban. His unusual origins and the question of whether his actions are shaped by programming or free will could become a major storyline moving forward.

John’s unusual Lantern could also become important. The ring is powered by will but contains traces of fear-infused energy, giving the new Green Lantern a connection to an unusual piece of mythology that the show has yet to fully explore.

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If the possibility of a Season 2 becomes a reality, who all could be a part of it?

If HBO orders another season, Aaron Pierre is the clearest candidate to return as John Stewart. The finale firmly establishes him as Earth’s Green Lantern, and Pierre is already set to reprise the character in the upcoming DCU movie Man of Tomorrow.

Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan, however, is a much bigger question. His character dies during the first season, although the series leaves room for Chandler to remain connected to John through the Halogram. Whether that could translate into a larger role would depend on the direction of a second season.

Other characters with unfinished stories include Kelly Macdonald’s Sheriff Kerry Kane, Shea Pritchard’s Noah Macon, and Ulrich Thomsen’s Sinestro. Kerry’s unexplored history, Noah’s Manhunter identity, and Sinestro’s escape from Space Azkaban all leave potential doors open for future episodes.

There is also already movement behind the scenes. A reported Season 2 writers’ room has been assembled under Mundy, with Christopher Cantwell, Nakkiah Lui, Zack Whedon, Selwyn Seyfu Hinds, and Vanessa Baden Kelly reportedly working on potential stories (via Collider). However, having a writers’ room does not mean HBO has officially ordered another season.

The strongest hint is that the creative team has already been thinking about what a second season could look like. Mundy has discussed the possibility of continuing the story, and recent reporting confirms that writers have been working on potential Season 2 material.

There is also James Gunn’s choice of wording. Gunn recently referred to the eighth episode as the show’s “season finale” rather than a series finale on Threads. When a fan asked him to confirm that distinction, Gunn replied, “Season finale, correct.” While that is not an official renewal announcement, it certainly leaves the door open.

Mundy also sounded hopeful about continuing the story when discussing the show's performance. He noted that Lanterns was tracking around the level of shows such as Euphoria Season 2 and It: Welcome to Derry, both of which received renewals. At the same time, he stressed that there is no guarantee and that the story should dictate whether the show continues.

For now, the important part is that HBO has not officially renewed Lanterns for Season 2. The writers’ room, its dream debut, John's future as a Green Lantern, the unresolved character arcs, and the show's deliberate use of the phrase “season finale” are all encouraging signs, but still need the green light for real.

If another season does happen, though, Lanterns has already done the hard part: it solved its first mystery while leaving plenty of new ones waiting in the shadows.

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Do you think there will be a Season 2 of the Lanterns? Let us know in the comments.