UPDATE 10/2: Nielsen’s count keeps rising, with Lanterns posting its biggest week yet at No. 7.
HBO has released a new viewership number for Lanterns ahead of Sunday’s finale.
Episode 7 drew 7 million viewers in the U.S. across its first three days on HBO and HBO Max, per Variety.
That ties the series high.
Episode 3 hit the same number back in August.
HBO Skipped The Worldwide Number
The premiere opened to 9.3 million viewers worldwide. Episode 3 climbed to 10 million, which remains the high.
This time HBO only gave a U.S. figure.
Variety notes HBO did not provide a worldwide total for Episode 7.
The two previous announcements both led with the worldwide number. In its place, HBO says 1.5 million new viewers watched the series premiere within the last week.
HBO also made no announcements for Episodes 2, 4, 5, and 6.
So the first number released in a month matches Episode 3 instead of beating it, even with Nielsen showing viewership going up following the Episode 3 controversy.
The Penguin Did 27 Million And Never Got A Season 2
Lanterns is averaging above 12 million viewers per episode in the U.S. and nearly 19 million worldwide.
Variety compares that to HBO’s last DC series.
The Penguin finished its 2024 run averaging more than 27 million viewers per episode.
The Penguin also won at the Emmys. However, HBO never ordered a second season, with the character set for The Batman Part II instead.
Lanterns is well under those numbers, and HBO boss Casey Bloys already said no Season 2 is in development, with the Gorilla Grodd comedy the only DC project active at the network.
James Gunn had fans thinking he confirmed a second season on Threads this week. Bloys said different.
The series finale streams this Sunday, October 4 on HBO Max.
Even the Penguin numbers weren’t enough for a renewal at HBO, and Lanterns isn’t close to them.
