The roster for HBO’s DC series Lanterns continues to grow. Deadline reports Emmy-winner Jasmine Cephas Jones is the latest to join the superhero series led by Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights, Argo) and Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge, Brother). Pierre and Chandler are set to portray the iconic Green Lantern heroes John Stewart and Hal Jordan, respectively.
According to Deadline, Jones will play a young version of Stewart’s mother, Bernadette. The matriarch has a great vision for her family and demands nothing but the best from and for them. Jones joins recently announced J. Alphonse Nicholson (They Cloned Tyrone, P-Valley) who is set to play her husband, John Senior.
The series follows Jordan, a veteran Green Lantern, and Stewart, a new recruit, leave the galaxy for Earth to investigate a mystery in America’s heartland. The series, according to Deadline, is part of the new interconnected DC Universe helmed by James Gunn (Superman, Creature Commandos) and Peter Safran (Shazam, Peacemaker). Previously announced cast members include Ulrich Thomsen (Banshee, The World is Not Enough) as the villain Sinestro, Kelly MacDonald as Sheriff Kelly, Poorna Jagannathan (Deli Boys, The Night Of) as Zoe, and Garrett Dillahunt (Raising Hope, Deadwood) as William Macon.
The eight-episode series comes from co-writers Damon Lindelof (Watchmen, Lost) and comic writer Tom King (The Vision, Human Target), and showrunner Chris Mundy (Ozark, True Detective), according to Deadline. The network will produce along with DC Studios and Warner Bros. Television. The executive producer team includes King, Lindelof, Mundy, and director James Hawes (Black Mirror, The Alienist). Additional direction will come from Geeta Vasant Patel (House of the Dragon, Ahsoka), Alik Sakharov (The Sopranos, Black Sails), Stephen Williams (Watchmen, Zero Hour).
Jones, who broke out on stage with Broadway’s Hamilton, is known for her leading role in Starz’s artistic drama series, Blindspotting. Deadline also lists her role in #FREERAYSHAWN, a series on the now-defunct platform Quibi, that earned her an Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Short From Comedy or Drama Series.
Lanterns is one of several series that make up the new, reset DCU. Other shows include the second season of Peacemaker, the animated Creature Commandos, and a live-action Booster Gold series. A series featuring Viola Davis’ (The Help, G20) Amanda Waller is also still in development.
