Lanterns cast: Every star confirmed so far in the James Gunn DCU Show

Green Lantern fans finally got the first official image from the upcoming HBO series Lanterns on February 27, 2025. The image depicts Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as their characters Hal Jordan and John Stewart walking on a deserted road in a small American town. Older and experienced Hal looks a bit rugged and has disheveled hair. John, on the other hand, looks tidy and clean-shaven.

Described as a gritty crime thriller in the vein of True Detective, Lanterns boasts of an impressive behind-the-scenes talent. The series is written by Ozark's Chris Mundy, Lost and Watchmen's Damon Lindelof, and comic book writer Tom King. This dark murder mystery promises fans a fresh perspective into the Green Lantern Corps mythology that the 2011 movie failed to offer.

Showrunner and executive producer Chris Mundy put out this statement on Thursday, February 27, 2025:

“From the start, our driving force has been to deliver a layered drama – rooted in nuanced storytelling and rich world building – that balances tension and mystery with honest, authentic emotion. The goal is to create something that feels timeless and grounded without sacrificing the magic of the source material.”

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Lanterns cast and character guide:

The Green Lantern mythos is one of the DC Universe's most complicated lore. The first comic book featuring the character was published in 1940, in which the human Green Lantern was not Hal Jordan but Alan Scott. Over time, readers were treated to not just Green but several other Lantern Corps.

Any adaptation of this complicated mythos will require us to brush up on the different Lantern Corps on the color spectrum. However, from the looks of it, James Gunn has said that we won't need to have prior knowledge to enjoy the HBO series. However, having a rough idea of the cast and characters is not a bad idea. Going through this Lanterns cast and character guide below should help you follow the show:

• Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan

Initially offered to Josh Brolin, Kyle Chandler was officially cast as one of the most iconic Green Lanterns, Hal Jordan, on October 09, 2024. In Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street, fans may recognize Chandler for his brief but important appearance as FBI Agent Patrick Denham. His Hal Jordan will serve as a mentor figure to John Stewart, who is supposedly going to replace him.

• Aaron Pierre as Jon Stewart

John Stewart is the new recruit poised to replace the legendary Hal Jordan, who is soon set to retire from the Green Lantern Corps. You may recognize Aaron Pierre for his role in the acclaimed 2024 action thriller Rebel Ridge.

Based on the official image released by the production team of Lanterns, we can observe that Pierre's John Stewart seems to have taken his new role in the Lantern Corps a lot more seriously, unlike Kyle Chandler's Jordan. He is clean-shaven and wears more formal clothing.

• Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro

The most recent Lanterns casting announcement was that of Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen as the Green Lantern antagonist Thaal Sinestro. Fans will know Thomsen for his antagonistic role of Kai Proctor in Banshee, the Cinemax series that starred Homelander actor Antony Starr as the protagonist Lucas Hood.

Considering Hal Jordan is an experienced Green Lantern, it is safe to assume that Thomsen's Sinestro will be an opponent in the HBO series.

Other than the three above, the series also includes other actors such as:

1. Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe
2. Garret Dillahunt as a modern cowboy, William Macon
3. Kelly Macdonald as Sheriff Kerry

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It was revealed that Lanterns will be set on Earth. But it remains to be seen if the series will show us glimpses of other alien Lantern Corps members. It was recently revealed that the release window for this HBO series is somewhere around early 2026.