Lanterns season 2 isn’t official yet, but it has already hired the writer of Marvel’s Doctor Doom comics

Well, here's a bit of TV development that feels equal parts inevitable and slightly surreal: Lanterns looks to be pressing ahead with preparations for a second season—even though HBO still hasn't officially given the go-ahead. But given the series is sitting on a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score and folks are already picking over the first season's finale, which lands this Sunday, it's clear the wheels are turning in the background.

Lanterns Season 2 has had its writers' room up and running for weeks, despite HBO still not announcing a renewal.

Main recruits and returnees

The headline news is Christopher Cantwell—yes, the same Chris Cantwell who co-created Halt and Catch Fire and knocked out runs for Marvel (Doctor Doom, lest we forget) and Star Wars comics—has officially joined the second season writers' room. He snuck onto the team in May as both a writer and executive producer, according to Nexus Point News. Basically, the geek CV is strong with this one.

Cantwell's not the only notable name in the trenches. Vanessa Baden Kelly is back from season one, now joined by newbies Nakkiah Lui, Zack Whedon, and Selwyn Seyfu Hinds. That makes five scribes brainstorming how to keep things interesting for another run, with Chris Mundy (of Ozark fame) running the show solo.

• Christopher Cantwell — new, writer and executive producer
• Vanessa Baden Kelly — returning writer
• Nakkiah Lui — new writer
• Zack Whedon — new writer
• Selwyn Seyfu Hinds — new writer
• Chris Mundy — showrunner (second season only)

Read more: DC fans asked James Gunn for a director's cut of Superman. He says they have already seen it

Behind the scenes: murky but moving

Now, let's address the gigantic, glowing ring in the room: HBO hasn't officially renewed Lanterns yet. That hasn't stopped Mundy from getting everyone around the whiteboard. Back in August, when chatting to The Hollywood Reporter, Mundy said they'd been outlining season two for about six weeks at that stage, though no one had actually started scripting proper episodes yet. Here's how he described their approach this time:

We're about six weeks into laying out a season, and then we'll talk to folks about it really soon.

Mundy hinted that the plan is to mix things up next season so it isn't just more of the same, but still sticks by the characters people actually care about. Notably, Damon Lindelof and Tom King—the co-creators—are bowing out, thanks to the usual Hollywood diary battles, so Mundy's steering this solo.

Lindelof said in a separate chat that even though none of this is a guarantee of a second season, getting a jump on ideas means they'll be much quicker off the blocks if the official order comes in—one eye on the production calendar, as ever.

Random bits and next chapter

For the comics obsessives and DCU completists: Aaron Pierre's John Stewart (who's been making waves on this show) is apparently turning up in James Gunn's Man of Tomorrow in 2027. Plus, for a dose of bragging rights, Lanterns is still carrying that 92% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, which is nothing to sniff at for a show this comic-booky and TV-MA rated.

Read more: Prime Video cancelled Nicolas Cage's Spider-Noir. Now it wants a series about Spider-Man's clones