DC’s Lanterns Confirms New Character With Major Connection to John Stewart

HBO’s upcoming Lanterns series has added J. Alphonse Nicholson to its growing ensemble cast in a role that will explore the personal history of one of DC’s most prominent heroes. As reported by Deadline, the P-Valley star has been cast as the young version of John Senior, father to Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart, revealing that the series will delve into the Green Lantern’s formative years and family background. This casting decision indicates that Lanterns will incorporate flashbacks or substantial backstory elements that examine how John Stewart’s relationship with his father influenced his development before joining the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps. The character addition underlines how the HBO series plans to explore deeper psychological dimensions of its protagonists rather than focusing exclusively on cosmic heroics.

Nicholson has earned critical acclaim for his portrayal of Lil’ Murda in Starz’s P-Valley. His previous work includes appearances in FX’s Clipped, Hulu’s White Men Can’t Jump remake, and Netflix’s Madam CJ Walker alongside Octavia Spencer. The actor also gained recognition for his work in the feature film Just Mercy, starring Michael B. Jordan. In addition, he delivered a memorable performance in the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of A Soldier’s Play.

[RELATED: James Gunn Claims Superman’s Connection to Lanterns Won’t Distract From the Movie]

Adding Nicholson to portray John Stewart’s father represents a significant character development opportunity for Aaron Pierre’s Green Lantern. In the comics, John Stewart’s background includes being raised in Detroit by his father following his mother’s early death, with this upbringing informing his strong sense of justice and community responsibility. While DC Comics has explored various aspects of Stewart’s career as an architect and Marine before becoming a Green Lantern, his family dynamics have rarely been the focus of significant storylines. By incorporating John Senior as a recurring character, Lanterns appears committed to grounding its cosmic hero in relatable human experiences, exploring how Stewart’s upbringing shaped his approach to wielding the power ring’s immense capabilities.

How Lanterns Is Building a Character-Driven Foundation for the DCU

The inclusion of John Stewart’s father highlights the psychological depth Lanterns aims to achieve within DC Studios’ broader universe-building strategy. The series, which follows veteran Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and newcomer John Stewart as they investigate a murder mystery in the American heartland, represents a deliberate tonal departure from other DCU projects. DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has emphasized this diversification approach, noting that the contrast between Lanterns’ grittier procedural style and the more optimistic tone of his upcoming Superman film exemplifies the studio’s vision for an interconnected yet tonally varied universe.

“It’s so cool because it is connected to Superman. Because we’ve got Guy Gardner in that and then we’ve got these Green Lanterns over here. And it’s just such a different tone from what Superman is,” Gunn previously explained. “It’s exactly what I want to bring to the DCU is being able to have these very different films and television series that are still part of an overall connected world, but have completely different feels to them.” This strategy allows DC Studios to explore various genres while maintaining narrative cohesion, with Lanterns drawing inspiration from crime dramas like True Detective while Superman embraces more traditional superhero storytelling elements.

The narrative foundation of Lanterns has been crafted by an impressive creative team, with showrunner Chris Mundy (Ozark, True Detective: Night Country) collaborating with writers Tom King (an accomplished Green Lantern comic book writer) and Damon Lindelof (HBO’s Watchmen). This combination of prestige television expertise and deep comic lore knowledge has reportedly produced exceptional scripts, with Lanterns cast member Poorna Jagannathan previously stating, “This is the first script that I’ve read that I understand why there’s an NDA. Everything is so insane. It is the best writing that I have ever read.”

Beyond exploring John Stewart’s family history, Lanterns has assembled a robust supporting cast that includes Kelly MacDonald as Sheriff Kerry, the local law enforcement official who becomes entangled in the cosmic mystery. Garrett Dillahunt portrays William Macon, a character described as “a self-righteous, conspiracy-minded man who masks his ruthless ambition behind a charming and calculated facade,” with many speculating this could be a reimagined version of classic Green Lantern villain Black Hand. Jason Ritter has joined as Billy Macon, William’s son, adding another layer of intergeneration drama to Lanterns. Perhaps most significantly, Emmy nominee Ulrich Thomsen takes on the role of Sinestro, the legendary Green Lantern whose fall from grace and transformation into the Corps’ greatest enemy represents one of DC’s most compelling villain arcs.

Lanterns is expected to premiere on HBO and Max in 2026, following the July 11, 2025 release of Superman.

Are you excited about Lanterns? Let us know in the comments!