With Kyle Chandler now officially set to play the DCU's Hal Jordan in Lanterns, comic book fans are eager to learn who will join him in the HBO series as John Stewart.
A few different names have surfaced lately, but scooper @MyTimeToShineH - who was the first to share news of Matthias Schoenaerts' Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow casting - has now revealed a supposed shortlist.
Apparently, the five top contenders are Damson Idris (F1), Aaron Pierre (Mufasa: The Lion King), Sope Dirisu (Slow Horses), Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Chevalier), and Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso). It may now be down to Idris and Pierre, though the former being cast in Children of Blood and Bone could take him out of the running.
It's been a busy week for DCU casting news but whether we'll learn who's playing John Stewart in the immediate future remains to be seen. While fans remain eager for updates on Batman and Wonder Woman, neither character appears to be a priority for James Gunn right now.
While not confirmed, there's also some speculation online that Warner Bros. is using bots to create fake support for Chandler's casting as Hal Jordan.
The news he'll star in Lanterns has been met with a mixed response - both as a result of his age and the fact he's not one of the A-List actors first rumoured to be in contention - but that response seems a tad extreme. It's worth noting that HBO boss Casey Bloys has previously used fake accounts and bots to troll critics who didn't like the cable network's offerings, though.
The shadow of 2011's Green Lantern looms large over DC Studios' plans and they had to do something to differentiate this version. Based on what we've seen so far, the plan appears may be to shift the focus to John after retiring (or killing) Hal.
DC Studios' Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.
Chris Mundy (True Detective: Night Country) is serving as showrunner and executive producer and will write Lanterns with Damon Lindelof (Watchmen) and comic book scribe Tom King (Supergirl).
When Lanterns' creative team was first revealed, James Gunn and Peter Safran, as Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of DC Studios, shared a joint statement which read, "We’re thrilled to bring this seminal 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 foundational part of the unified DCU we’re launching next summer with 'Superman.'"
Lanterns doesn't currently have a confirmed premiere date.