DC Studios and Warner Bros. Television are expanding the DC Universe with “Lanterns,” a new superhero series debuting on HBO in early 2026 about the intergalactic Green Lanterns Corps. Part of the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, the eight-episode show has been described by director James Hawes as “True Detective” meets the DCU. That’s no coincidence—“True Detective: Night Country” writer Chris Mundy serves as showrunner of “Lanterns.” He’s joined by executive producers Damon Lindelof (“Lost”) and Tom King (“Supergirl”).
The series was developed by DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, who has been reimagining the DCU alongside Peter Safran since 2022. “Lanterns” will star Kyle Chandler (“Friday Night Lights”) and Aaron Pierre (“Krypton”), with Nathan Fillion reprising his “Superman” (2025) and “Peacekeeper” Season 2 role as Green Lantern Corps. member Guy Gardner. Here’s everything we know about this upcoming series, including who helped cast it.
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The live-action series will focus on the story of two Green Lanterns, veteran Hal Jordan (Chandler) and new recruit John Stewart (Pierre), as they investigate a murder in the American Midwest. In the DCU, Green Lanterns are superheroes who fight evil with their magical rings that grant them special powers and superhuman abilities, such as intergalactic time travel.
Based on the casting announcements for “Lanterns,” there’s a good chance the series will feature battles between the Green Lanterns and major DC villains, including Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen) and a new character named William Macon (Garret Dillahunt), who some fans are speculating to be a pseudonym for the supervillain Black Hand.
The main cast members are:
- Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan
- Aaron Pierre as John Stewart
- Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner
- Kelly Macdonald as Kerry
- Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro
- Garret Dillahunt as William Macon
- Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe
- Jason Ritter as Billy Macon
- Nicole Ari Parker as Bernadette Stewart
- Sherman Augustus as John Stewart Sr.
- Paul Ben-Victor as Antaan
Alexa L. Fogel (“True Detective,” “Ozark”) is the CD for the series. While it’s always a good idea to work with an acting agent to land roles, the Emmy Award–winning CD spoke with us in 2020 about how she finds talent outside of agent submissions, saying that she often relies on networking and outreach. “If I feel that I may find somebody because of their age, ethnicity, or because of some other reasons that are outside the mainstream, I will either look for an ambassador in that community and explain who I am and what I’m looking for, and see if they can guide me to more of a network of people,” Fogel said.
“Lanterns” is produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Television. In addition to Hawes (“Slow Horses”), Stephen Williams (“Watchmen”), Geeta Vasant Patel (“House of the Dragon”), and Alik Sakharov (“Ozark”) are also directing episodes.
Filming for “Lanterns” took place on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California, and wrapped in July 2025. We don’t yet know if the series will be greenlit for future seasons, but we’ll share updates right here as we get them. Fear not, though—you can flex your powers with these superhero casting calls and other acting opportunities:
Soar on over to these links for even more jobs that are seeking talent right now:
And finally, here are some tips to help you land a role in the DCU:
- How to Get Cast in a DC Comics Movie or TV Show
- How to Get Cast in a ‘Superman’ Movie
- How to Get Cast in a ‘Batman’ Production