Damon Lindelof Responds to Grant Morrison Backlash Over LANTERNS: “Green Is F–ing Awesome”
The conversation around Lanterns has taken a sharp turn over the past week, and now co-creator and writer Damon Lindelof is stepping in to set the record straight.
After a comment about the title sparked backlash and drew criticism from comic legend Grant Morrison, Lindelof is owning the moment, admitting the joke missed the mark, and reminding fans just how much the Green Lantern mythology actually means to him.
The HBO series, which is being developed by showrunner Chris Mundy alongside Lindelof and comic writer Tom King, is shaping up to be one of DC Studios’ most ambitious projects. But instead of excitement dominating the conversation, early reactions have been… complicated.
The first trailer didn’t exactly win everyone over. While it had the polish and tone of a prestige HBO drama, many fans were thrown off by what felt like a lack of classic Green Lantern flair.
The muted look, a noticeably toned-down Hal Jordan suit, and almost no sign of those signature constructs left viewers wondering if the show was stripping away what makes the characters so fun.
Then came Lindelof’s now-infamous podcast comment: "It's called Lanterns, because we all agreed that the 'Green' was stupid."
That comment hit a nerve, and when Morrison publicly called out what they described as a “jockish dismayal of superhero conventions,” things escalated quickly.
Now Lindelof has responded directly, taking to social media with a candid and surprisingly heartfelt explanation:
"I have upset Grant Morrison, which means I have now pissed off MOST of the brilliant British/Scottish comics writers that I grew up idolizing. I made a dumb joke on a comedy podcast.
"I’m not going to bob and weave about context, the joke was dumb, the fandom is not. I owe them an explanation and a genuine reflection of my actual feelings."
Rather than deflect, Lindelof leaned into his love for the source material, making it clear he’s not dismissing Green Lantern at all:
"More importantly, it would be a betrayal to everyone I worked for and alongside to say anything other than I was absolutely honored to be a part of the team that manifested the incredible construct that is Lanterns... because it was. I was sloppy and careless with my words, ironic considering I care so much about Hal, John and the entire Corps."
He doubled down on what Green Lantern represents to him personally, saying there's "nothing cooler than a hero whose superpower was his imagination." And in case there was still any confusion, he made it crystal clear:
"Green is not stupid, it is my lifelong favorite color and I have a questionnaire that I filled out in third grade to prove it. Green is f***ing awesome."
Lindelof wrapped things up with a promise to do better and let the show ultimately speak for itself:
"I can and will do better to be worthy of the oath... until then, I’ll let the show speak for itself and I can’t wait for you all to hear what it has to say,"
At the end of the day, the controversy says as much about fan expectations as it does about Lindelof’s comment. DC Studios is clearly trying something different here.
The series leans into a grounded, crime-driven tone that feels closer to True Detective than a traditional cosmic superhero story. That shift might explain the absence of bright green energy constructs in the early footage, but it’s also what has some fans uneasy.
The story itself follows John Stewart, a new recruit, and Hal Jordan, a seasoned Lantern, as they investigate a murder rooted deep in the American heartland. It’s a street-level mystery wrapped in a cosmic premise, which is a pretty wild mix when you think about it.
The cast includes Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre in the lead roles, with Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Nicole Ari Parker, Jason Ritter, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Jasmine Cephas Jones filling out the ensemble.
Whether this grounded take ends up winning people over is still up in the air, but Lindelof’s response at least shows he understands why fans care so much.
Lanterns is set to premiere on HBO in 2026, and one thing’s for sure, people are going to be watching closely.