Aaron Pierre Cast as Green Lantern in DC Studios’ New Series ‘Lanterns’

Aaron Pierre, known for his leading role in Netflix’s ‘Rebel Ridge‘, has been cast as Green Lantern John Stewart in DC Studios‘ forthcoming series ‘Lanterns’. The casting marks the culmination of a rigorous search process, as this new venture is set to be one of the flagship TV projects led by DC Studios’ chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran. The role of John Stewart is particularly significant, as Stewart is recognized as one of DC Comics’ first Black superheroes.

The casting decision came after what was described as an intense selection, which narrowed down prospective actors to Pierre and Stephan James. James is currently gaining attention on the festival circuit for his role in ‘The Piano Lesson’ and previously starred in the 2016 film ‘Race’, a biopic of Jesse Owens. Both actors participated in screen tests late last week, with the final decision being made on Tuesday.

Pierre’s recent performances have seen him rise to the top of casting lists. He recently starred in Jeremy Saulnier’s ‘Rebel Ridge’, which premiered on Netflix in September and maintained the number one spot on the platform for three consecutive weeks. Previously, Pierre had been cast in Marvel Studios’ ‘Blade’, although he is no longer involved in that project as the film’s direction changed. Additionally, he appeared in M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Old’, a film adaptation of a graphic novel.

‘Lanterns’ is poised to have a gritty and darker tone, similar to that of ‘True Detective’. It follows Hal Jordan, portrayed by Kyle Chandler – who is in negotiations to finalize his participation – as he reluctantly mentors Stewart, a young Green Lantern, in solving a murder mystery set in the American heartland.

The series will air on HBO with an order straight to series. The creative team behind ‘Lanterns’ includes high-profile names such as Chris Mundy from ‘Ozark’, Damon Lindelof of ‘Watchmen’ and ‘Lost’ fame, and Eisner Award-winning comic book writer Tom King. These creators will be serving as executive producers and writers, with Mundy acting as showrunner for the eight-episode season. James Hawes, notable for his work on ‘Slow Horses’, will direct the pilot episodes and also serve as an executive producer.

John Stewart first appeared in the 1971’s ‘Green Lantern’ issue No. 87, introduced by writer Dennis O’Neil and artist Neal Adams, twelve years after Hal Jordan debuted in the Green Lantern series.

Pierre is represented by WME, Anonymous Content, Hamilton Hodell, and Sloane Offer. He is also set to voice the titular character in Barry Jenkins’ upcoming ‘The Lion King‘ prequel, ‘Mufasa‘, for Disney.