LANTERNS: 7 Actors Who Could Play Green Lantern John Stewart In The New DCU

DC Studios is finally bringing John Stewart into live-action, but who should play the fan-favourite Green Lantern in Max's upcoming Lanterns TV series? We have some suggestions you're going to want to see!

By JoshWilding - Apr 28, 2023 01:04 PM EST

Filed Under: Green Lantern

Lanterns was originally going to revolve around Alan Scott and Guy Gardner, but when DC Studios was formed, the spotlight shifted to Hal Jordan and John Stewart.

The news was welcomed by fans, especially as Hal has been absent from our screens since 2011 and John's live-action debut is beyond long overdue. In an upcoming Max TV series, the space-faring superheroes are going to embark on "a True Detective-type mystery" that "leads into the overall story that [DC Studios is] telling."

It sounds like a compelling take on the two fan-favourite superheroes and, earlier this month, we shared some of our suggestions for who could play Hal. That's a character we know many of you care deeply about, but John is arguably even more important to the vast majority of fans given his role in Justice League Unlimited and the fact he's been front and centre in some truly groundbreaking stories.

There are lots of exciting possibilities, but to find out who we think should play John Stewart in the DCU, you'll need to click on the "Next" button below.

7. Trevante Rhodes

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After blowing everyone away with his phenomenal work in Moonlight, Rhodes has since impressed us in the likes of The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Bird Box, and in Mike, a TV biopic about legendary boxer Mike Tyson.

A major blockbuster role feels inevitable, and John Stewart is a character the actor could definitely make his own.

Having not starred in too many high-profile projects before this one, Rhodes wouldn't bring too many expectations with him and may be exactly who's needed to help put this Green Lantern on the map. He definitely looks the part and, it's important to also note, has an athletic background.

6. John David Washington

Many of you will know Washington best for starring in Christopher Nolan's Tenet, but this former football player has also put himself on the map with roles in projects such as Ballers, Amsterdam, and BlacKkKlansman.

He's a very special talent and an actor who has already dabbled with big budget filmmaking. A series like Lanterns will be heavy on CG and, if we had to hazard a guess, probably shot primarily in The Volume. After working with Nolan, Washington should be able to handle that side of this role with ease.

At 38, he'd be an older John than the 33-year-old Rhodes, for example, but that'll work if John is an experienced Lantern.

5. Michael B. Jordan

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There was a time when it looked like Jordan would get to play one of the DCEU's Superman on HBO Max, but the rebranded streaming service is now focusing on DC Studios' slate and The Batman franchise (meaning there may no longer be room for an Elseworlds story about Val-Zod).

Needless to, we really don't need to sell you on the Black Panther and Creed star given his body of work.

The former Human Torch is long overdue for a new superhero role, and while it almost feels clichéd to suggest John Stewart given how often Jordan's name has been attached to this Green Lantern, there's a good reason for that: he'd be an incredible choice.

4. Leslie Odom Jr.

Odom Jr. is a powerhouse talent whose work in Hamilton singled him out as one of Hollywood's brightest stars.

Earning an Oscar nomination for his performance in One Night in Miami..., he's also starred in Glass Onion, The Many Saints of Newark, and played a military man in George Lucas' Red Tails. On the one hand, it's hard to imagine him agreeing to play a superhero, but on the other, he'd be a freaking awesome John Stewart.

This is an actor who could bring a great deal of pathos to the role while exploring what it means for this former Marine to find himself serving as a space cop. We have no doubt Odom Jr. would knock it out of the park.

3. Regé-Jean Page

If you've not watched Bridgerton, chances are you're wondering what all the fuss is about when it comes to Page.

Well, he's a talented actor who has become a fan-favourite choice to play James Bond, but after Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, we'd like to see what he can do in the superhero realm. As John, he'd bring a lot of eyes to Lanterns and is more than capable of kicking ass alongside whoever plays Hal Jordan.

Our only concern is whether he can effectively portray this All-American former Marine. Providing he's able to nail that, we think Page would be a dark horse casting choice who makes fans of the comic books very happy with his work.

2. Winston Duke

After Black Panther, we really expected to see more from Winston Duke in Wakanda Forever. Unfortunately, M'Baku was sidelined and struggled to make much of an impact, as a result, In fact, we'd say it was a rather thankless role for the actor.

That could change moving forward, but DC Studios would be wise to try and poach him for Lanterns' John Stewart.

The actor would be more of a heavy-hitter version of the character and someone we'd have no trouble buying as a former sniper turned superhero. He'd also bring some gravitas to the role and, if you've seen Nine Days, we're sure you'll agree he can kick ass and our feels.

1. John Boyega

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After Attack the Block, Star Wars, and the Pacific Rim sequel, John Boyega knows his way around a sci-fi franchise.

Finn didn't really give the actor enough to sink his teeth into, so a lead role in the DCU as Green Lantern should finally give him the chance to shine on a larger stage. John is a complex character who isn't afraid to speak his mind and we're sure that's something Boyega would have a blast with.

While it appears the door is open to him returning as Finn, that shouldn't close the door on a lead role in Lanterns, and this could be Boyega's chance to really show the world what he can do as a leading man.

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