New York Post review says HBO’s ‘Lanterns’ improves on a perceived Ryan Reynolds movie mismatch

HBO’s new series “Lanterns” has drawn early attention after a New York Post review argued the show is “better than terrible” in comparison to a prior Ryan Reynolds film. In its assessment of the series, the outlet described the program as daring enough to pose a simple question, and then follow through on it in ways the reviewer says translate to a more satisfying viewing experience.

The New York Post article, published August 14, 2026, characterizes “Lanterns” as a deliberate reworking of a concept tied to the Reynolds movie it references. The reviewer’s central frame is comparative rather than biographical, focusing on how the HBO series treats the same basic idea and how that treatment changes the overall effect for audiences who may recognize the earlier film.

The review highlights the series’ cast, including Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre, noting their presence in connection with the program. While the New York Post piece is written as an entertainment critique, it still functions as a first-wave report for viewers deciding what to watch, particularly those looking for alternatives to a movie that, in the review’s framing, did not land as intended.

For HBO and other streaming providers, the early performance of a new scripted series can matter for scheduling, marketing spend, and subscriber retention, especially when the project is positioned against a widely known prior title. Comparisons like the one presented in the New York Post review show how public conversation can form quickly around recognizable names and premises, even before broader critical consensus or audience tracking is widely reported.

At the same time, the review’s characterization is not an official account of production choices or creative intent. The New York Post is describing what it sees on screen and how it interprets the series’ direction, not documenting how the show’s producers responded to prior films or how they developed the premise in production meetings.

The next developments for “Lanterns” are likely to be driven by additional professional criticism, audience reactions, and any formal HBO communications about the series’ release cadence and story scope. If more coverage follows the same comparative line, it could reinforce the idea that the show is meant to capture viewers who want a corrected or improved version of the referenced concept.

For now, the most verifiable point from the current reporting is that “Lanterns” is the subject of an August 14 review in the New York Post, and that the outlet explicitly links the series to the question of redoing a perceived Reynolds misfire into something it considers more effective.