Aaron Pierre, who stars as John Stewart in the upcoming DC series Lanterns due out in early 2026 on HBO Max, says the project has officially wrapped production and offers fans a sense of what to expect from the new take on the Green Lantern Corps.
Lanterns is of a grand scale
Speaking with Esquire, Pierre confirmed the large-scale nature of the HBO Max series.
“We recently wrapped Lanterns. It was an enormous shoot. It was of a grand scale in every sense of the word,” he said.
The series, part of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe slate, follows both John Stewart and Hal Jordan as Earth-based Green Lanterns investigating a dark mystery that ties into the wider DCU.
Relatable Heroes
Pierre explained what drew him to the character and what audiences can expect from the show’s tone.
“One of the things that I love the most about the Lantern Corps is that, yes, they are heroes… but they embrace their flaws in a way that is beautiful. That makes them extremely relatable,” he said.
He added that the characters’ humanity and imperfection were a central part of the show’s approach.
“They do their best to redeem themselves actively, consciously… When you watch it, it almost makes you go, ‘You know what? If I can just figure out where to get my application, I could be in the Green Lantern Corps,’” he said. “The training would be intense, and the responsibility would be enormous, but I might be able to just apply for this and have a go.’”
Bringing the Lantern Corps to Life
Pierre emphasized that Lanterns aims to present grounded, character-driven storytelling within its sci-fi setting.
“There’s just a relatability to it that is beautiful,” he said. “Hopefully that resonates with everybody.”
The series marks one of the flagship entries in DC Studios’ new interconnected universe and is rumored to debut in 2026 on Max.
Pierre Also Stars in Star Wars: Starfighter
Alongside Lanterns, Pierre will also appear in Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy. Speaking about that film, Pierre praised the filmmaker’s energy and attention to detail.
“All I can say is Shawn is so very wonderful. He’s so passionate. He cares so very much, as does everyone who is involved in this. We’re really doing our best to bring the very best version of this film to the fans… We understand the magnitude of this, so we’re very excited,” he said.
