Who might Jason Ritter be playing on Lanterns? Details about the latest DCU casting news explored

Lanterns, the HBO series, had another major casting announcement this week after Nicole Ari Parker. Parker was announced to be a part of the HBO superhero show as Bernadette Stewart, Aaron Pierre John Stewart's mother, on Monday, March 10, 2025. The week ended with another casting announcement on Friday, March 14, 2025.

On Friday, it was revealed that Jason Ritter, the American actor known for his role in Matlock and Poker Face, joined the cast of Lanterns for the role of Billy Macon, a family member of Garret Dillahunt's William Macon. Besides, his character will also be Kelly Macdonald's Sheriff Kerry's husband.

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Jason Ritter's Lanterns character explained:

The first one to break that Jason Ritter joined the cast of Lanterns was Jeff Sneider's The InSneider newsletter. The newsletter described Ritter's character as Sheriff Kerry's husband. However, a Variety report that was later published revealed that the actor was playing a character named Billy Macon, the son of William Macon. Billy's character was described as:

“A good-looking charmer who does his father’s bidding. Capitalizing on his family’s reputation, he clings to his small-town ego and has everything to lose.”

However, the Variety report did not confirm whether Billy Macon would be Kerry's husband. But that does not mean that The InSneider newsletter was wrong. As Lanterns will premiere in early 2026, it may end up happening that Jason Ritter's character will be Kelly Macdonald's character's husband. But we have to wait for that for a while.

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What will Lanterns be about?

An adaptation featuring the Green Lantern comic characters, the HBO series promises to do right by the iconic DC mythos. This is the second live-action adaptation of the characters. Lanterns was described as a True Detective-style murder mystery set in a small town instead of an alien planet. The official logline for the show reads:

"The series follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland."

Based on the logline above, we can ascertain that Stewart has been recently chosen by a Green Lantern ring as a worthy candidate. Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan, on the other hand, is described as a legend, meaning he has been a part of the Green Lantern Corps for decades. He will probably serve as a mentor figure for Aaron Pierre's John Stewart.

Showrunner Chris Mundy had this to say about the series that will be released in the first half of 2026:

“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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Who is involved in the HBO series?

The cast and crew of this upcoming live-action Green Lantern adaptation are stacked with talented people in front and behind the camera. Celebrated comic book writer Tom King is one of the show's executive producers. The actors involved in the series include:

1. Kyle Chandler will be playing the Green Lantern legend Hal Jordan
2. Aaron Pierre will be playing the new recruit, John Stewart
3. Nicole Ari Parker will be playing John Stewart's mother, Bernadette
4. Ulrich Thomsen will be playing Hal Jordan's former mentor Sinestro
5. Poorna Jagannathan will be playing Zoe
6. Kelly Macdonald will be playing Kerry
7. Garret Dillahunt will be playing William Macon
8. Jason Ritter will be playing Billy Macon

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The eight-episode Lanterns will air on HBO and be available to stream on Max in early 2026.