Nathan Fillion hints that Lanterns might be rated TV-MA

As the HBO DCU show, Lanterns, is still under filming. This week, we may have learned whether the superhero show will be suitable for viewers of all ages or not. The answer is no, HBO's new Green Lantern series is not suitable for kids, giving it a TV-MA rating. For the uninitiated, in the US parental guidance rating system for TV, TV-MA means that the program is meant exclusively for adults.

The mature tone for the DCU series was teased by none other than Nathan Fillion himself, who is poised to appear in both Peacemaker Season 2 and Lanterns after Superman. Fillion teased the mature tone for the series by humorously revealing that he had the most F-bombs for Lanterns.

What did Nathan Fillion say about Lanterns?

Nathan Fillion, who plays the human Green Lantern in the DCU, was interviewed by ScreenRant's reporter Ash Crossan at the red carpet premiere of Superman. In that interview, Crossan and Fillion discussed the latter's future DCU appearances, including Peacemaker Season 2 and Lanterns, where we can see Guy Gardner share screen with Aaron Pierre's John Stewart and Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan.

Superman is a family-friendly movie, and therefore, Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner probably will not use foul language. However, that might not be the case for both Peacemaker Season 2 and the Green Lantern show, which are releasing on a streaming platform, thus giving makers a bigger leeway in dabbling with darker themes.

Thus, when Crossan asked Fillion about his character's future in the DCU, the actor responded:

"I'll tell you — it's the same character, but in different circumstances. In his circumstances in Peacemaker, it's very lighthearted and fun; and his circumstances in Lanterns, the stakes are a lot higher. It doesn't change the character, but he's certainly dealing with that situation that he's in. And I'll say this — I dropped more F-bombs on my first day on Lanterns than I had in my entire career put together."

Hearing the last part, Ash Crossan asked Fillion for clarification on whether swearing was a part of the character of Guy Gardner, the actor replied that:

"That was in the script"

What do Nathan Fillion's comments mean?

It should be noted that dropping F-bombs or using foul language doesn't automatically mean that the final movie or show is going to be mature. Deadpool is a character that is suitable for adults only, but that doesn't mean that the Merc with a Mouth is mature. However, in the case of the HBO Green Lantern series, the foul language might not be distracting.

Moreover, people involved in the series have been open about the HBO show being influenced by True Detective. Therefore, it only makes sense that the DCU series also retains the iconic crime show's rating as well. Plus, a TV-MA rating also allows this superhero show to tackle darker storylines.

Also, this kind of storytelling in the early phase differentiates the new DCU from the early phase of the MCU, which remained family-friendly. The official logline for the HBO show reads:

"The series follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland."

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