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James Gunn announced the new Green Lantern-based HBO Max series, Lanterns, which will be a True Detective-type gritty thriller featuring Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Both will be Lanterns of the Green Lantern Corps., tasked with solving a spine-chilling mystery in their space precinct, Earth.
Initially, Greg Berlanti was producing the Green Lantern Corps. series which would have spanned across decades, introducing multiple other Green Lanterns other than Hal Jordan and John Stewart. However, that project has been axed as James Gunn and Peter Safran are coming up with a different story.
Lanterns will uncover a dark mystery that ties directly into the larger DCU, setting up a future crossover event like Justice League. However, before that, fans are eager to know which actors will play Hal Jordan and John Stewart, and what their dynamics will be.
Will Hal Jordan be the older, more experienced Green Lantern recruiting a young John Stewart into the mix? Will it be the opposite? Or will both of them be around a similar age, going through a buddy-cop adventure through the Galaxy?
While we’re far from any casting revelations, the following actors could be great candidates for John Stewart, keeping the different aforementioned dynamics in mind.
Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's views and opinions.
Actors who could play John Stewart Green Lantern
1) Trevante Rhodes
Keeping in mind that James Gunn is looking to create a cinematic universe that spans a decade, Trevante Rhodes would be the best choice to play the part. He is 32 and could carry the role for several years.
Moonlight was his breakout role, but he recently impressed everyone playing Mike Tyson in Hulu’s biopic series Mike. He could play a young John Stewart who gets recruited by an experienced Green Lantern like Hal Jordan.
2) Sterling K. Brown
Brown’s performance in American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson proved to be engaging and memorable. However, his talent and acting prowess weren’t utilized properly in the MCU, where he only got to play a small role in Black Panther. So, DC could make full use of that by bringing him in as John Stewart.
With his intensity and voice, he would give fans a very unique and bold version of Green Lantern. At the age of 46, he’d be a candidate for the older John Stewart bit, recruiting a younger Hal Jordan instead of it being the other way around.
3) Common
John Wick Chapter 2 was proof that Common could pull off playing some tough and unbeatable characters! Because of his age, he’d also be another candidate to play an older John Stewart. Many fans would rejoice if WB considered Common to play the part as his version of Stewart could be the one to recruit Jordan for Justice League.
It’s important to note that James Gunn’s DCU will be a semi-reboot. So, even though Common played a minor role in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, he could still be recast into the new DCU. Hence, playing John Stewart would be a good choice for him.
4) Ricky Whittle
In 2019, American Gods star Ricky Whittle showed a lot of interest in playing Green Lantern. He suggested that the character of Green Lantern needs to be reborn after the debacle of Ryan Reynolds’ movie, and he’d be honored to play either John Stewart or Simon Baz.
It may be too early for Simon Baz, but Whittle should definitely be considered for John Stewart. He is still in his early 40s, so he could offer a lot to the character if given a chance. He’d remind fans of John Stewart from the Justice League animated series who took center stage instead of Hal Jordan.
5) D.B. Woodside
Here's another high-profile name sliding into the older John Stewart category. Woodside is known for his roles as Amenadiel in Lucifer, Principal Robin Wood in the final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Wayne Palmer in 24.
His charisma, intensity, and confidence make him a great fit for the John Stewart role. He shared great comradery with Tom Ellis, who played his brother Lucifer Morningstar in Lucifer. Now, he could do the same with Hal Jordan in an alternate DC Universe.
6) John Boyega
At just 30, John Boyega would be a great pick for a newly recruited John Stewart. He starred in the latest Star Wars trilogy and also appeared as the lead in Pacific Rim 2. So, he could be a pretty good Green Lantern as well.
He has been searching for another leading gig after his Star Wars trilogy ended and Pacific Rim 3 got canceled. However, his search could end if James Gunn and Peter Safran cast him in the DC Universe.
7) John David Washington
Denzel Washington's son rose to stardom with Christopher Nolan's Tenet. He then went on to star in a couple of other Netflix films, Malcolm & Marie, and Beckett before appearing in 2022's Amsterdam.
He is already set to appear in two upcoming projects called True Love and The Piano Lesson. But right after that, this 38-year-old could go on to play John Stewart in HBO Max's Lanterns as he would be another perfect choice for the part.
While the actors who will play either of the roles are yet to be decided, the announcement has definitely got fans looking forward to the upcoming series.
