HBO Dismisses James Gunn? Drops Lanterns Teaser Right After Supergirl

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The trailer for James Gunn’s Supergirl was just released when HBO dropped the first look at Lanterns, and people quickly noticed the back-to-back announcements.

The first look at Lanterns was released only a day after the Supergirl trailer, and it quickly changed the focus of online discussion from the movie to the more realistic DC series coming to HBO.

Rather than allowing news about Supergirl to continue grabbing all the attention, the focus quickly shifted, leading to speculation about what’s happening internally at DC.

This change at HBO confirms what sources have told us, and as reported by Deadline, James Gunn is now focused solely on his “Superman Family Saga” and no longer has overall creative control of the DC Universe.

Lanterns Immediately Pulled Focus From Supergirl

Honestly, the first look at Supergirl really split the fanbase. I saw a lot of people online talking about how the tagline felt a little silly, and the overall vibe just didn’t click with everyone. It actually got a lot of negative reactions really quickly – even more dislikes on YouTube than the Superman trailer got after half a year! It’s been a pretty big talking point, that’s for sure.

Then HBO stepped in, and it looks like without James Gunn’s knowledge.

The brief preview of Lanterns instantly changed how people are talking about the DC Universe, with many fans applauding its realistic, crime-focused style. We’ve also heard from sources that it’s shaping up to be excellent.

Viewers quickly started noticing a big difference in the style of the Lanterns footage compared to Supergirl and other projects from James Gunn.

The result? Supergirl discourse cooled fast, replaced by talk of Green Lantern.

James Gunn Admitted He Doesn’t Control HBO Scheduling

This matches what Gunn stated in October during interviews after the controversy – he admitted his future with DC is uncertain, which confirms what we’ve heard.

When talking about Lanterns, Gunn admitted his expertise lies mostly in film marketing. He contributes creatively to TV projects, but he doesn’t control when they air—particularly on HBO—and he’s not even involved in making those scheduling decisions.

I’ve gotten a glimpse of it – or at least, what it looks like currently – but I’m not sure when it will be officially revealed. That’s probably something the marketing team is handling.

At HBO, my marketing background is mostly focused on movies. I’ve worked on many film campaigns and have a good understanding of what strategies are effective and which ones aren’t.

I really get into the nitty-gritty of what’s on TV – the shows themselves, the footage, all that. But honestly, when it comes to when things air or how the schedule works, I’m much more of a film person and don’t follow TV scheduling nearly as closely.

James Gunn’s recent statements have sparked concerns. The release of the Lanterns teaser seems to indicate HBO chose its own timing, potentially without considering how it might conflict with the promotion of Gunn’s movie.

It seems Gunn and HBO weren’t aware of each other’s plans for releasing teasers, which shows a real lack of communication. They clearly weren’t coordinating their efforts.

HBO Is Playing Defense — And Protecting Its Brand

From HBO’s perspective, the move makes sense.

The initial preview for Supergirl sparked a lot of political debate and disagreement. HBO probably didn’t want the upcoming Lanterns series to get caught up in that same controversy, particularly because they’re aiming for a sophisticated, high-quality show with Lanterns, rather than something lighthearted like some of James Gunn’s other comic book projects.

With the quick release of a preview, HBO immediately took charge of how the DC story was being presented, distanced its Lanterns series from negative reactions to DC films, and reminded everyone that it creates mature, realistic DC content.

The message was clear: Lanterns stands on its own.

As a big fan of HBO shows, I get why they’re being careful. They probably don’t want another situation like Peacemaker, where a lot of viewers – around 40% – stopped watching before the season ended. Plus, the fans have really made their feelings known, and HBO seems to be listening.

DC Studios Still Feels Fragmented

If DC Studios operated as one cohesive unit, these kinds of situations wouldn’t occur. Major movie and show releases would be better timed, announcements would be consistent, and projects wouldn’t end up battling each other for the spotlight.

It appears HBO is functioning separately, and the marketing for films and TV shows isn’t coordinated. James Gunn is also admitting he doesn’t have complete control, despite being the studio head. This suggests the studio isn’t well-integrated and that different departments are still operating as separate entities.

WB “is vicious”

Just remember, the head of Warner Bros. films announced a Minecraft sequel only two weeks after James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow was revealed. That speaks volumes. According to our source, Warner Bros. is incredibly competitive and ruthless.

Paramount showed a strong commitment, even exceeding what they did for James Gunn, by traveling across the globe to listen to Zach Cregger’s ideas for a DC movie. This is notable considering Paramount doesn’t currently own Warner Bros. Discovery.

What This Really Signals Going Forward

The real shock wasn’t that Lanterns negatively impacted Supergirl, but rather that HBO was willing to allow it to happen.

Even with Warner Bros. Discovery considering selling parts of the company, and James Gunn having previously expressed uncertainty about his role, HBO seems determined to secure the future of DC television shows, no matter who ultimately leads DC Studios.

Lanterns wasn’t delayed to protect Supergirl. It was deployed to protect HBO.

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2025-12-13 00:32