Hal Jordan and John Stewart Assemble: Aaron Pierre Joins DC Studios’ “Lanterns” Cast Alongside Kyle Chandler
James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Studios is really starting to take shape. With Gunn’s Superman already in post-production and set for a July 11, 2025 release, their studio’s first feature is preparing to soar. Things are also shaping up with Superman’s cousin as director Craig Gillespie’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow has recently added Matthias Schoenaerts to the cast to play the villain, opposite Supergirl herself, Milly Alcock. Now, on the TV side, one of the studio’s major first series, Lanterns, has set its two leads. Aaron Pierre has been cast as the Green Lantern John Stewart, joining Kyler Chandler’s Hal Jordan as the two cosmic cops set to start sleuthing on Earth.
Lanterns is a big deal for Gunn and Safran’s DC Studios—it’s their first major TV effort, and Pierre has landed one of the most sought-after roles available, playing a fan favorite and one of DC’s first Black superheroes. Pierre joined Stephan James as the final two performers in the casting process, both taking part in screen tests opposite Kyle Chandler last week, with Pierre getting the nod on Tuesday.
Lanterns is being billed as DC Studios’ gritty crime drama with a True Detective vibe. It will follow the legendary intergalactic cop Hal Jordan as he begrudgingly mentors a young member of the Green Lanterns force, John Stewart. Eventually, Jordan and Stewart find themselves drawn into a dark mystery on Earth where a murder in the American heartland upends everything.
Pierre recently starred in Jeremy Saulnier’s critically acclaimed action thriller that pitted Pierre against Don Johnson in a taut, terrifically acted, and shot pulse pounder. It’s been at the top of Netflix’s charts for three weeks in a row.
Pierre was momentarily going to make a big splash in the comic book realm before plans changed—he was set to star opposite Mahershala Ali in Marvel Studios’ Blade, but the movie subsequently changed, and Pierre moved on. He’s had meaty roles in Clement Virgo’s Brother, Barry Jenkins’ The Underground Railroad, and Garth Davis’ 2023 sci-fi drama Foe. Come this December, Pierre will be roaring in Disney’s Lion King prequel as Mufasa—Barry Jenkins helms this, too.
Chandler is no stranger to hit TV, having starred in Friday Night Lights and Bloodline, and makes a no-brainer choice to play Jordan.
The first two episodes of Lanterns will be directed by James Hawes, a veteran who recently filmed two episodes of Apple TV+’s terrific spy series Slow Horses, led by a brilliant, flatulent old spook named Jackson Lamb, played by a brilliant Gary Oldman. Lanterns is led by showrunner Chris Mundy (Ozark), with Mundy, Damon Lindelof (Watchmen, The Leftovers), and comic book writer Tom King all executive producing and writing.
The Green Lanterns have been around for a long time—the first Green Lantern, Alan Scott, appeared in DC Comics in 1940, created by Martin Nodell and Bill Finger. John Broome and Gil Kane reinvented the character as Hal Jordan in 1959, introducing the Green Lantern Corps and moving the genre from fantasy to science fiction. John Stewart arrived twelve years later courtesy of Dennis O’Neill and Neal Adams, becoming one of DC’s first Black superheroes.
For more on all things DC Studios, check out these stories:
Inside the Shaky Alliance Between Oz and Sofia in “The Penguin” Episode 3
Batman Supervillains Bane & Deathstroke Getting Their Own Movie at DC Studios
Alan Tudyk Has Secret Role in James Gunn’s “Superman”
Featured image: Aaron Pierre is John Stewart in HBO’s upcoming “Lanterns.” Courtesy DC Studios/Warner Bros.
