Netflix star lands DC superhero role after fans demand lead actor status

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Aaron Pierre has joined the cast of HBO LanternsWarner Bros. announced on Wednesday (October 9).

Based on the DC Comics of the same name, “the series follows newcomer John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic police officers who are drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery while investigating a murder in the American heartland,” according to an official Logline.

Pierre will play Stewart, while casting for Jordan has not yet been announced; Although, deadline reports that Kyle Chandler is being considered for the role.

Pierre's casting comes a month after he won over audiences on Netflix Rebel Ridge. Director: Jeremy Saulnier (Blue ruins, Green roomThe film follows a former Marine (Pierre) who faces corruption in a small town when local law enforcement wrongly confiscates the bag of cash he needs to post his cousin's bail. Don Johnson plays a corrupt law enforcement officer.

After the September 6 premiere, viewers quickly took to social media to question why the British actor wasn't already one of Hollywood's leading men.

“Can I say a star is born? Is this an exaggeration?” a fan asked on There is something about Pierre in this film that I think will catch the attention of many viewers. He is the foundation of Rebel Ridge & lets this film thrive.”

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Pierre was born in London in 1994 and made his screen debut on ITV's in 2017 Main suspect 1973. He has since appeared on Amazon Prime Videos The subway TV adaptation and M Night Shyamalan's Old (2021).

He voices the digitally animated lead role of Mufasa: The Lion Kingwhich will be released on December 20th of this year.

Lanterns is made by Ozarkis Chris Mundy, Guardians Damon Lindelof and comic book writer Tom King.

James Gunn and Peter Safran, co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios, said of the series: “We are excited to bring this groundbreaking DC title to HBO with Chris, Damon and Tom at the helm.” John Stewart and Hal Jordan are two of DC's most compelling characters, and LANTERNS brings them to life in an original detective story that is a fundamental part of the unified DCU we launch next summer Superman.”

This isn't the first time a live-action Green Lantern story has been brought to the big screen. Hal Jordan was infamously portrayed in the much-derided 2011 Ryan Reynolds film Green Lantern.

Directed by Martin Campbell, the film became one of the biggest box office bombs in film history. Against a budget of $200m (£166m), it grossed just $219m (£182m) and received scathing reviews.

Speaking at the 2023 Just For Laughs comedy festival at London's O2 Arena, Reynolds told Q&A host Rob Delaney his reaction to seeing the film for the first time.

Reynolds said: “The words were 'holy shit' and 'no no!'”

He continued: “It was crazy. It was a strange feeling. It wasn't a feeling I wanted to repeat. So I really spent the next few years trying to own as much as I could, just so I could sort of process it.”