Damon Lindelof apologizes for “Dumb Joke” that called Green “Stupid” and angered Green Lantern fans

In response to many Green Lantern enthusiasts and high-profile comic book creators being offended by a humorous statement he made during a podcast appearance in September 2024, Damon Lindelofthe award-winning co-creator of the new contingent of Lanterns (formerly known as The Green Lantern), has issued an apology and a statement clarifying what he meant by the remark. During the Lovett or Leave It comedic podcast, Lindelof was asked about the change of title from The Green Lantern to just Lanterns; his humorous comment was, when asked why he changed the name, Lindelof said, “Because we all agreed that the green part was stupid.” The comment had been intended to be funny, but it resurfaced online after the release of the teaser trailer for the series, leading to renewed public outcry over it.

One of the most vocal critics of Lindelof’s statement has been the legendary Green Lantern writer, Grant Morrison. He expressed his dismay at Lindelof’s comment, saying that it was a “jockish dismissal of superhero conventions” and questioned why he would agree to work on a show that he appeared to be mocking at its core. Morrison noted that by alienating the core fans of a property (who are also the primary audience for a series like this), he did not make a smart decision.

On March 17, 2026, Lindelof replied with an Instagram image showing Lindelof wearing a Green Lantern T-shirt from 2004. He acknowledged his past mistake made through a comedic podcast statement, stating, “I made a dumb joke on a comedy podcast. I won’t give the excuse of having context; that joke was dumb, and the fandom is not.” His own words were “careless and sloppy,” and he pointed out the irony of those two adjectives concerning his love for these characters.

He reminisced about being a lifelong fan of Green Lantern, recalling how the power of imagination that Green Lantern possesses inspired him at an early age. “Green is the best color in my LIFE,” he expressed, “I’m thankful to have the opportunity to bring this series to life.” He expressed his admiration for the characters of Hal Jordan, John Stewartand the members of the Green Lantern Corps: “I will be more than worthy of my Oath as Hal, and I hope my work on this show speaks to that promise.”

Lanterns is set to premiere in August 2026 on HBO. It will feature Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan. Co-creators include Chris Mundy and Tom King. Lanterns will highlight several different interstellar officers and will feature a murder investigation occurring on Earth.