John Stewart New Lead of Redeveloped Green Lantern HBO Max Series
The Green Lantern series for HBO Max is reportedly turning to John Stewart to be its featured lantern bearer. The long-gestating project from executive producer Greg Berlanti is being retooled, with writer and showrunner Seth Grahame-Smith leaving Green Lantern, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Grahame-Smith had already completed eight scripts for the DC streaming series, but reportedly chose to step down after all of the regime changes at HBO Max and Warner Bros. Discovery. Green Lantern was originally going to feature Guy Gardner (Finn Wittrock) and Alan Scott (Jeremy Irvine), but with the behind-the-scene changes comes word that John Stewart will be front and center.
THR reports John Stewart was originally off the table to the creators behind Green Lantern, who then chose to focus on DC's first Green Lantern, the openly gay Alan Scott. Guy Gardner was also a crucial character in Green Lantern, which would have also included a "multitude of other Lanterns — from comic book favorites to never-before-seen heroes." However, with Green Lantern being restricted following Seth Grahame-Smith's departure, the decision was made to lead with John Stewart, one of DC's first Black superheroes.
The status of Wittrock and Irvine's Guy Gardner and Alan Scott remains up in the air. Both actors are reportedly no longer signed to Green Lantern, though Berlanti Productions is eager to work with both actors once Green Lantern progresses. It's worth noting the changes to Green Lantern reportedly have nothing to do with the recent news that filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran have been tapped as co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios, leading its TV, film and animation divisions. Warner Bros. Discovery is essentially mirroring Marvel Studios, which has Kevin Feige in charge of its superhero content.
Who Is the Green Lantern John Stewart?
Created by the legendary creative team of Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams, John Stewart debuted in 1971's Green Lantern #87. John Stewart took up the mantle of Green Lantern from Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner, and was the central Green Lantern in the fan-favorite Justice League animated series. He has since headlined several Green Lantern comics, including Green Lantern Corps.
Director Zack Snyder wanted to use John Stewart's Green Lantern in Zack Snyder's Justice League, even casting Wayne T. Carr for the John Stewart role and filming scenes with him in Snyder's driveway in the lead-up to the film's big HBO Max premiere. Snyder released the deleted scene for fans to geek out over.
"That [concept art] was based on the actor who did the scene for us and was a guy named Wayne T. Carr. He's an amazing actor and an amazingly kind gentleman," Snyder revealed during a virtual appearance at Justice Con.
He added, "I told him that there was a chance it didn't make it in the movie as we were shooting it in my driveway and I'm not 100-percent sure he thought it was real. I was talking to him the other day and he was just excited about it — he loved the movie and was super excited for the reception the film has gotten and he's just completely gracious."