James Gunn: Dead Characters Stay Dead in the DCU
The DC Studios co-CEO said on the studio's podcast that resurrections won't undo meaningful deaths, following the Lanterns finale.
James Gunn said on DC Studios' official podcast that characters who die in the DCU stay dead, according to comingsoon.net. The co-CEO described the approach as a fixed rule for the shared universe rather than a case-by-case decision.
Gunn said a character could return as a clone or as a version from an alternate timeline, but argued those devices should not be used to undo a death that carried weight. He pointed to Yondu's death in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as an example of a death being given meaning.
The statement follows the finale of Lanterns, in which Sheriff Kerry Kane kills Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, after he discovers that her son Noah Macon is a Manhunter. All eight episodes of the series are available to stream on HBO Max.
Hal Jordan had died under mysterious circumstances in the show's premiere, with his ring missing from the Rushville investigation site, and appeared throughout the season in flashbacks and holographic recreations. Gunn's rule suggests the character will not be brought back to reverse that ending.
Quick answers
Will Hal Jordan return in Lanterns?
James Gunn said on the DC Studios podcast that dead characters stay dead in the DCU, suggesting Hal Jordan will not be resurrected.
How many episodes of Lanterns are there?
All eight episodes of Lanterns are available to stream on HBO Max.
What did James Gunn say about clones and alternate timelines?
He said characters could return as clones or alternate-timeline versions, but those devices should not be used to undo meaningful deaths.