With Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights, Bloodline) officially taking on the role of Hal Jordan in HBO’s Lanterns series, DC Studios has now shifted its focus to finding the second lead for its buddy cop Green Lantern show: the role of John Stewart. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio has narrowed down its choices to Aaron Pierre (Mufasa: The Lion King, Rebel Ridge) and Stephan James (Homecoming, Race).
Though no offers have been made, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that a decision could be made by the end of the week.
Damson Idris (Snowfall, Outside the Wire) was also being considered for the role, but due to scheduling conflicts, he is no longer in the running.
Pierre recently played Malcolm X in National Geographic’s Genius: MLK/X, and he will soon star as Mufasa in Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King. If chosen for the role of John Stewart, it will mark his second role in a DC series, as he previously played Dev-Em in Syfy’s Krypton series.
James is a Golden Globe nominee for his performance in Prime Video’s Homecoming and an Emmy nominee for #FreeRayshawn. Most recently, he starred as the lead in Beacon 23, and he will next be seen in The Piano Lesson.
Lanterns received a straight-to-series order at HBO in June. It will consist of eight episodes and connect to DC Studios’ upcoming DC Universe. The show has brought on Chris Mundy (Ozark, Criminal Minds), Damon Lindelof (Watchmen, The Leftovers) and Eisner Award-winning comic book writer Tom King (Batman/Catwoman, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow) as executive producers and writers. Mundy will also serve as showrunner.
The Green Lantern series will follow Lantern legend Hal Jordan as he mentors new recruit John Stewart. The two intergalactic cops are drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery connected to a murder in the American heartland.
“John Stewart and Hal Jordan are two of DC’s most compelling characters, and Lanterns brings them to life in an original detective story that is a foundational part of the unified DCU we’re launching next summer with Superman,” DC Studios co-chairmen and co-CEOs James Gunn (Peacemaker, Guardians of the Galaxy) and Peter Safran (Superman: Legacy, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom) said when announcing the series.
No official release date has been announced for Lanterns, but it is aiming to release sometime in 2026.