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Turns out, HBO’s Lanterns will be a Ozark reunion: Laura Linney’s surprise DCU role revealed at Comic-Con
Linney reunites with showrunner Chris Mundy, who produced Ozark, on the latest addition to the James Gunn & Peter Safran-led DCU
NewsbyGrant DeArmitt, Staff Writer
Published on Sat Jul 25 2026
Popverse’s coverage of Comic-Con International: San Diego 2026 is brought to you byDark Horse Comics.
You heard it at San Diego Comic Con first, folks – Laura Linney is joining James Gunn’s DCU. The revelation came during the Lanterns panel, which featured also showrunners Damon Lindelof and Chris Mundy, among others. And what’s fascinating about Linney’s casting (beyond just who she’s playing) is that for Mundy, her inclusion is a bit of a reunion for a project that he showran for her before – that is, Netflix’s crime drama Ozark.
But first, I know you want to hear who the accomplished actor is playing, so let’s get to it.
Laura Linney is joining Lanterns as an unspecified Guardian of the Universe – that is, one of the ancient beings that crafted both the Green Lantern rings and (if the show stays true to the comics) the main villains of the series, the Manhunters. What we don’t know at the moment is A.) which Guardian Linney will be playing, as there are several specified members of the species in the Green Lantern comics, or B.) whether the show will transform Linney into a comic-accurate version of a Guardian. That is, this:
But anyway, let’s get back to the reunion of it all. Linney and Mundy worked together on Ozark, Mundy’s first gig as showrunner. In the 4-season crime drama, Linney plays Wendy Byrde, a woman whose husband Marty is in business with a drug cartel. Marty, by the way, is played by huge nerd Jason Bateman, and in the gilded halls of the Popverse groupchat, video producer Ashley V. Robinson proffered the idea that the cast really could use a Tomar-Re…
Just saying, Comic Con was very excited to hear about just one Ozark reunion. Keep that train going and you might even get more eyes on this.
Lanterns will stream on HBO Max starting August 16.
Enjoy our guides to how to watch the recent DCEU, the Arrowverse, and James Gunn’s upcoming DCU. Oh, and don’t forget our guide to what’s coming up for DC projects on the big and small screens.
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Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.
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