Damon Lindelof Apologizes for ‘Stupid’ Green Lantern Comment Amid Fan Backlash

The debate over HBO’s upcoming Lanterns series intensified this week as showrunner Damon Lindelof issued an apology for a years-old joke dismissing the “green” in “Green Lantern” as “stupid.” The controversy reignited following the release of the indicate’s first trailer and a pointed critique from celebrated comic book writer Grant Morrison.

A Joke Resurfaces

The initial spark came from a September 2024 appearance by Lindelof on the Lovett or Leave It podcast, where he jokingly suggested the series was titled Lanterns because “we all agreed that the green was stupid.” This comment resurfaced with the release of the Lanterns trailer on March 4, prompting a wave of online discussion and criticism.

Grant Morrison’s Response

Grant Morrison, a prominent writer known for their work on Green Lantern, publicly addressed Lindelof’s remarks in a March 15 Substack post. Morrison questioned why a writer would take on a project if they considered its core concept “fundamentally ‘stupid.’” They wrote, “Why does a writer attach himself to this kind of narrative if he thinks it’s fundamentally ‘stupid’?”

Lindelof’s Apology

Lindelof responded to Morrison’s criticism with an apology posted on Instagram. He acknowledged upsetting Morrison and, by extension, many of the British and Scottish comic book writers he admired growing up. “To quote the bard (Otis Redding),” Lindelof wrote, “this is nobody’s fault but mine.” He clarified that the comment was a “dumb joke on a comedy podcast” and expressed regret for not providing context sooner. Lindelof also shared a photo of himself as a child wearing a Green Lantern shirt, emphasizing his lifelong affection for the character and the color green, stating, “Green is fucking awesome.”

Nuance in the Debate

Not all Green Lantern fans are opposed to the title change. Eric Vilas-Boas, a comic book expert for Vulture, argued that the shift makes sense given the existence of Lanterns who wield colors other than green, such as Sinestro, who utilizes yellow. Vilas-Boas pointed out that “Green is but one color on the the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum from which all Lanterns derive power.”

About Lanterns

HBO’s Lanterns, part of James Gunn’s developing DC Universe, aims for a grounded approach to the superhero concept. Gunn described the series as taking “this outlandish concept of space cops with magic rings and putting it in as close to reality as it can possibly be.” The series stars Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler as Green Lantern Corps members.