ConnexionLanterns HBO TV Series Cast and Characters: Who's Confirmed for the DC Show?
Lanterns is one of the big shows that will be part of the first phase of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DCU (which is officially called Gods and Monsters: Chapter One), and it’s being described as a detective drama that’s inspired by shows like True Detective and Slow Horses. That much is plainly apparent in the recently released Lanterns teaser trailer.
The series, which stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, is slated to debut on HBO Max in August 2026. We may still have a few months to wait, but we are starting to learn a lot more about the series and who else will be part of the show.
Let’s break down all the main cast and characters you need to know about so you’ll be ready for this adventure filled with Green Lanterns and more.
Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan
According to HBO, Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights, Godzilla vs. Kong) will take on the role of the “Lantern legend” known as Hal Jordan. He will work alongside John Stewart as an intergalactic cop, and the pair will be drawn into a “dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.”
The teaser trailer establishes Hal as a very gruff mentor to John, one who's unafraid to throw his young charge in the line of fire if it means he'll learn on the job. Hal also seems to have no trouble playing the bad cop, as evidenced by him roughing up a suspect in interrogation and pulling out his ring.
We also catch a glimpse of Hal's rugged Green Lantern uniform in the trailer, one quite a bit different from the CG costume of the 2011 movie:
Hal Jordan was created by John Broome and Gil Kane and first appeared in Showcase #22 in October 1959.
Aaron Pierre as John Stewart
Aaron Pierre (Mufasa, Rebel Ridge) is John Stewart, a new recruit of the intergalactic cops known as the Lanterns. Stewart will team up with Chandler’s Hal Jordan in an effort to solve a murder that happened on Earth.
As the trailer reveals, John is still very much a rookie, having only been training under Hal for a couple of months. Hal tells his new partner, "Don't get hung up on the jewelry, junior. You're just a f****** substitute teacher. You aren't ready to get up in front of the class until the ring says you are." He then promptly throws himself out of their car, leaving John to literally fly or die. A dysfunctional relationship, to say the least.
We see John carrying his Lantern in one shot of the trailer, suggesting he will eventually have cause to use the new tools of his trade.
John Stewart was created by Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams and first appeared in Green Lantern #87 in December 1971.
Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner
After making his debut in James Gunn’s Superman and briefly appearing in Peacemaker Season 2, Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Castle) will return as Guy Gardner in Lanterns.
"He's a jerk,” Fillion said of his character to TV Guide. “What's important to know is, you don't have to be good to be a Green Lantern; you just have to be fearless. So Guy Gardner is fearless, and he is not very good. He's not nice, which is very freeing as an actor because you just think to yourself, what is the most selfish, self-serving thing I can do in this moment? And that's the answer.
"I think if he has a superpower, it might be his overconfidence, in that he thinks he could take on Superman. He can't!"
Guy Gardner has been around since 1968, as he was created by John Broome and Gil Kane and first appeared in comics in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #59.
Kelly MacDonald as Sheriff Kerry
Via Variety, Kelly MacDonald (Brave, No Country for Old Men) has joined the cast of Lanterns as Sheriff Kerry, a “non-nonsense woman deeply devoted to her family and close-knit town. Her resilience, shaped by a complex past that’s hardened her resolve, anchors her when the community’s secrets begin to surface.”
Kerry may be a love interest of Hal, but it's clear from the trailer that she has absolutely zero patience for Hal and John sticking their noses in the town's latest murder case.
Garret Dillahunt as William Macon
Via Deadline, Garret Dillahunt (12 Years a Slave, Raising Hope) is William Macon, who is described as a modern cowboy who is a “self-righteous, conspiracy-minded man who masks his ruthless ambition behind a charming and calculated facade.” Billy Macon is his son.
William Macon appears to be a new character created for Lanterns.
Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe
Poorna Jagannathan (The Night Of, Never Have I Ever) will be playing Zoe in Lanterns. She’s rumored to be the love interest of John Stewart.
Zoe appears to be a new character created for Lanterns.
Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro
DC supervillain Sinestro will cause some big trouble in Lanterns, and he will be brought to life in the series by Ulrich Thomsen (The Celebration, The International). In the comics, Sinestro is a former Green Lantern who turned rogue. Via Variety, The Lanterns take on him has been described as “ruthless yet undeniably charming.” He also used to be a mentor to Hal Jordan. It remains to be seen if Sinestro will have turned to the dark side and donned his yellow ring yet in the series.
Sinestro was created by John Broome and Gil Kane in 1963 and first appeared in the comic book Green Lantern, Vol. 2, #56.
Sherman Augustus as John Senior
John Senior is John Stewart’s father, and Sherman Augustus (Virus, The Foreigner) will play the older version of the character. Via Deadline, he is described as the “human embodiment of stubborn” and one who can’t help but try to live in the past and focus on what could have been.
John Senior appears to be a new character created for Lanterns.
J. Alphonse Nicholson as Young John Senior
A younger version of John Stewart’s father, John Senior, will also appear in the show and will be played by J. Alphonse Nicholson (P-Valley, They Cloned Tyrone). Presumably this means we’ll be getting flashbacks to the young John’s life.
Nicole Ari Parker as Bernadette
Bernadette is John Stewart’s mother, and the older version of the character will be played by Nicole Ari Parker (Boogie Nights, Remember the Titans).
Instead of this, mention a bit about her from the comics - looks like she has a tragic fate.
Jasmine Cephas Jones as Young Bernadette
Jasmine Cephas Jones (Blindspotting, Monsters and Men) will play the younger version of Bernadette in Lanterns.
Jason Ritter as Billy Macon
Via THR, Jason Ritter (Matlock, A Million Little Things) has been cast as Billy Macon, the son of William Macon, who is 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.”
Billy Macon appears to be an original character created for Lanterns.
Chris Coy as Waylon Sanders
Chris Coy (Deliver Us From Evil, Detroit) will be joining Lanterns in a guest starring role as Waylon Sanders, and his description is as mysterious as his character seems to be.
Via Deadline, He is said to be an “intelligent survivor or a nervous truck driver. Age and real name unknown, he’s unbound by the laws of nature.” Huh?
Waylon Sanders appears to be an original character created for Lanterns.
Paul Ben-Victor as Antaan
Via Deadline, Antaan, an extraterrestrial “devoted to exposing the truth and exacting vengeance against those who wronged his people,” will be played by Paul Ben-Victor (The Wire, The Irishman). His character is also “consumed by a deep and unrelenting hatred for the law” and is “determined to deliver justice on his own terms.”
Antaan appears to be an original character created for Lanterns.
For more, check out everything else headed to the DCU in Gods and Monsters and brush up on every upcoming DC movie and series.
