If you’ve been keeping up with the latest in comic book castings, then your plate has been full the past couple of weeks. DC Studios has called for a series titled Lanterns, centering the Green Lantern. When news broke out that Josh Brolin had been offered the role towards the end of August, fans eagerly anticipated an announcement on whether or not he had signed on to play Hal Jordan. It’s no secret that Hollywood may be nervous to even touch the Green Lantern story given how cringeworthy the 2011 Ryan Reynolds flick turned out. It’s one of those projects that, if you attempt to put your spin on it, there’s no room for error and excelling is expected.
Earlier this week, the Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Brolin had officially turned down the role and now the search continues. A source also told THR that the studio is looking for an older, bigger, name actor to mentor a young John Stewart, for which a fresh-faced actor is in their scope. Stewart happens to be one of DC’s first Black heroes so it has to be done right, but you know, no pressure.
Little is known about the series, but it’s eight episodes long and follows Jordan and Stewart as they investigate an Earth-bound murder with larger implications. While there are many fan castings for Jordan such as Chris Pine, Ewan McGregor, and Chris Pratt, the bigger question is what up-and-coming Black actors would embody the role of Stewart. With a laundry list of options, here are our top five choices.
Jessie T. Usher
Bursting onto the scene as A-Train in Prime Video’s hit series, The Boys, Jessie T. Usher has grown to be a fan favorite. The show just recently finished out their fourth season, but, with the fifth one being their finale, Usher could be in a key position to take on another project. The Maryland born actor is only 32 and has quite the baby face, so he could very well pull off the young look for a while (much like some cast members in High School Musical were late 20s/early 30s playing high schoolers). He has already built a fan base from The Boys that is sure to want to tune in to whatever he does next, so this could work in DC’s favor as well.
Aaron Pierre
The 30-year-old from London just jumped onto everyone’s radar these past 2 weeks as the star of Netflix’s latest hit, Rebel Ridge. The film has locked in a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and is currently #1 worldwide on the streaming platform. He has already built a fan base on social media, with a slew of critics calling to see more of the actor. One outlet on X wrote, “Am I allowed to say a star is born?… Pierre’s undeniable charisma and the force he commands on screen.”
He could be a top choice, given it doesn’t get much fresher faced than an actor like him who came out of thin air and grabbed everyone’s attention. For those who are wanting more from him ASAP, they won’t have to wait long as he will take on the iconic voice of Mufasa (long live James Earl Jones) in the sequel to The Lion King, releasing this December.
Trevante Rhodes
Trevante Rhodes really showcased his incredible talent in 2016’s Oscar winning picture, Moonlight, opposite Mahershala Ali. Since then, we haven’t gotten much from him aside from Mea Culpa earlier this year. He strays away from the younger part being that he is currently 34, but has caught attention from fan casters for some time now, with a whole Reddit thread dedicated to his selection from a year ago. If the studio is seeking an actor for longevity and future projects, then they may overlook Rhodes. But, in the case that the series turns out to be a one and done type deal, then age is just a number as he fits the description at this very point in his career.
Y’lan Noel
Being the oldest one on the list, Y’lan Noel still fits the description in terms of fresh-faced. The Morehouse graduate is currently 36, but has yet to snag a major project under his belt aside from his role as Daniel in Issa Rae’s HBO hit, Insecure. He’s currently in the Apple TV+ series Lady In The Lake and he’s voicing the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 video game. So he’s definitely within the sphere of nerd culture! It would be a shame to let a bright talent like Noel cross over 40 without his skill being recognized by the masses.
Shameik Moore
As the heart of the widely successful Into the Spider-Verse saga, Shameik Moore embodies what DC is searching for. He has quite the impressive resume but has yet to reach his potential, and signing on to work on a James Gunn series could give his career the boost it needs to land bigger gigs. We know his voice as Miles Morales, but he has proved he has what it takes to land bigger roles, as The Gutter and Dope just didn’t get him the visibility he deserves. He could very well be a top contender, as Moore hasn’t crossed over the 30-year-old mark quite yet.