Aaron Pierre has snagged the role of John Stewart in the upcoming HBO and DC Studios show Lanterns. He’ll play the role of the iconic Green Lantern opposite Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan.
The news of the Rebel Ridge star grabbing the role comes after a heavily scrutinized casting process that was reportedly down to Pierre and Stephan James. However, the role has gone to Pierre. And he will star not just in the eight-episode series, but potentially in further DC Studios releases down the road. This is in contrast to Chandler, who is only contracted for the TV show, and not for further movies… Fueling speculation that Hal Jordan may not make it out of this TV series alive.
Showrun by Chris Mundy, and co-written by Damon Lindelof and Tom King, Lanterns is an Earth-based mystery story in the mode of True Detective. It’s also at the core of whatever uber-story James Gunn and company are telling in “Gods and Monsters,” which kicks off in 2025 with Superman. Jordan will take the role of the gruff, more world-weary detective, while Stewart is the brasher, younger detective. Also they have rings that create constructs and whatnot, so it’s not exactly like True Detective.
While Pierre was a fan-favorite pick for some based on his performance in Netflix’s Rebel Ridge, the choice isn’t without controversy. Some fans posted dismay online when his name was first bandied about, as John Stewart is depicted as dark-skinned in the comics and in animated series; while Pierre is lighter-skinned.
Regardless, he has been cast in the role (though that surely won’t be the end of the discussion). No premiere date for Lanterns has been announced as of yet, though it’s expected to go into production next year.
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