Lanterns was already shaping up to be good when initial critical impressions and then full-length reviews came in. But now, its scores have climbed even higher after the premiere aired, and those without early screeners have given their take. The Rotten Tomatoes review score speaks for itself.
Lanterns had a very solid 90% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics before the premiere, and it jumped a full 5% in about six hours after the premiere, now at a 95%. That actually ties the non-DCU, The Batman spin-off The Penguin, the hugely praised standalone series that aired in 2024. I believe that makes the pair the highest-scoring live-action DC shows ever.
It is difficult for a show to jump that high that quickly when its score is mostly set. That means every new review that came in was positive to take it up that high. More may be coming in, but for now, it has the record score and surpasses the other three live-action DCU projects: Peacemaker (93%), Superman (83%), and Supergirl (52%). After Supergirl was a critical and box office bomb this summer, James Gunn and the DCU really needed to change the narrative, and Lanterns has done precisely that almost instantly.
Right now, Rotten Tomatoes audience scores are a bit lower, now at an 89%. But as beloved as The Penguin is, that score was an 85%, and there’s no accounting for taste. Lanterns does have a stellar 8.6/10 on IMDB right now, which, given how scoring works, is more significant than a seemingly similar number on Rotten Tomatoes. The Penguin also has an 8.6 there, for comparison.
This is just episode 1, of course. But most critics have seen up to seven out of eight episodes of the series, the final one being held as some sort of grand finale with big reveals, presumably. Lanterns is not a binge drop, it wasn’t even a two-episode premiere, and it will run until October 4. That is right before another DCU live-action project arrives, Clayface, which is out October 23. There will likely be zero crossover between the two. Clayface appeared briefly in Creature Commandos (it’s been confirmed to be the same one), and he is a Batman villain. So far, the DCU does not have a Batman, and wishful thinking that this is where he could be revealed will likely not come to pass.
It is great news that Lanterns is so good. This project felt like a risk, but thanks to its excellent cast and showrunners, it is now a can’t-miss every Sunday.
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Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.