‘Lanterns’ Aaron Pierre Joins ‘Superman’ Sequel

by

Aaron Pierre, who is starring as John Stewart in the upcoming HBO Max series Lanterns, is also set to appear as Green Lantern in the Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, which is scheduled for release next summer. This suggests the character will continue to be part of the DC Universe beyond the streaming series.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Patrick Stewart’s role in Superman: Man of Tomorrow fits into director James Gunn’s plan to create a unified DC Universe across both movies and TV shows. Stewart plays a Green Lantern, a space-based law enforcer, and his inclusion feels natural because Superman and Brainiac are also characters who travel through space and have alien backgrounds.

The upcoming series, Lanterns, will feature John Stewart, a new member of the Green Lanterns, undergoing training with veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler.

Including Pierre in Man of Tomorrow follows the pattern established in Gunn’s Superman, which showcased several heroes from the “Justice Gang,” like Green Lantern (Guy Gardner, played by Nathan Fillion). Superman also included appearances by characters like Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl, Metamorpho, and Supergirl.

The upcoming film, Man of Tomorrow, brings back David Corenswet as Superman, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen. Lars Eidinger joins the cast as the main villain, Brainiac.

The movie Man of Tomorrow is planned for release in theaters on July 9, 2027, with filming starting this summer. Meanwhile, Lanterns will debut on HBO Max in August.

The Best Performances in DC Movies

12. Jason Momoa, Aquaman (2018)

Jason Momoa seemed like an unexpected pick to play Aquaman, a character usually depicted as a dignified underwater king. But it turned out to be a brilliant choice! Momoa and director James Wan (along with Zack Snyder) decided to create an Aquaman that suited Momoa perfectly: a rebellious, fun-loving warrior who’d rescue whales and then maybe enjoy a party afterwards. In the often-serious DC Extended Universe, Momoa provided a welcome dose of humor alongside his impressive physique. Now, it’s difficult to picture Aquaman without him enthusiastically roaring as he charges into battle.

11. Jack Dylan Grazer, Shazam! (2019)

What truly makes Shazam! work is Jack Dylan Grazer’s fantastic performance as Freddy Freeman, Billy Batson’s foster brother. He’s essential in showing Billy’s transformation into Shazam! and in making the audience believe both Asher Angel and Zachary Levi are the same person. Freddy is also the superhero enthusiast of the pair, and cleverly guides Billy in learning to control his powers in a really enjoyable scene. While it’s fun when Freddy and their foster family gain superpowers towards the end of the movie, it’s slightly frustrating because it means Grazer isn’t as involved for the remainder of the film.

10. John Cena, The Suicide Squad (2021)

When James Gunn rebooted the DC Universe, very little from the previous DCEU carried over. While Gunn had already introduced Peacemaker – even overseeing his own show on HBO Max – he easily could have chosen a different path for the character. He could have retired Peacemaker altogether or even recast the role, similar to what he did with Superman. However, it was John Cena’s unique comedic timing and delivery that transformed Peacemaker from an unknown DC character into a fan-favorite antihero. Cena’s performance is truly essential to the character’s success – he elevates every scene he’s in, and few actors could have delivered a line like “I cherish peace with all my heart. And I don’t care how many men, women, and children I need to kill to get it,” with such impact.

9. Will Arnett, The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)

By the mid-2000s, Batman movies had gotten so dark and serious, it felt like the only way to go was back to the campy fun of the old Adam West series. And that’s exactly what The LEGO Batman Movie delivers! Will Arnett is absolutely brilliant as LEGO Batman – he’s hilariously grumpy, overly macho, and slowly realizes his biggest problem isn’t the Joker, but his own inability to connect with others. It’s a really clever movie because it both gently pokes fun at and wholeheartedly celebrates everything that makes Batman so iconic. Honestly, it wouldn’t work nearly as well without Arnett’s performance – he’s funny, gruff, and surprisingly touching as the Dark Knight.

8. Viola Davis, Suicide Squad (2016)

The first Suicide Squad movie wasn’t well-received. It had a lot of problems, including messy editing, awkward dialogue, and a confusing storyline. While it wasn’t a total loss, one bright spot was Viola Davis’s portrayal of Amanda Waller. As a powerful and intimidating figure surrounded by dangerous criminals, she truly stood out. It’s no surprise James Gunn brought her back for The Suicide Squad – who would dare fire her?

7. Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman (2017)

The DC Extended Universe is known for its ambitious scope and often serious tone, and with good reason. While it featured plenty of brooding heroes and dramatic moments, Gal Gadot’s portrayal of Wonder Woman stood out as truly inspiring and undeniably cool – from her iconic lasso and gauntlets to her incredible fighting skills, like taking on a tank single-handedly! Though the Wonder Woman franchise didn’t continue as hoped – the sequel underperformed and a third film never happened – the first movie, with Gadot’s relatable and compassionate Diana, remains one of the best parts of the DC universe.

6. Nicholas Hoult, Superman (2025)

We’ve seen good versions of Lex Luthor in movies before – Gene Hackman was a favorite, even though he didn’t want to shave his head! – but Nicholas Hoult in James Gunn’s Superman truly captures the essence of Superman’s greatest enemy. He’s the perfect villain for today: a sensitive, self-absorbed tech billionaire who could actually make the world better, if he wasn’t so desperate for everyone to love him. Hoult brilliantly portrays all of Lex’s strange qualities and complexities without ever making us feel sorry for him. A Superman as impressive as David Corenswet deserves an equally compelling villain, and Hoult delivered exactly that with his portrayal of Lex Luthor.

5. Michelle Pfeiffer, Batman Returns (1992)

Superhero films come in all varieties, but few villains are as captivating, edgy, and undeniably cool as Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman in Batman Returns. She transformed from a timid assistant into a fierce and agile burglar, memorably sporting a black leather catsuit while playfully interacting with Michael Keaton’s Batman and expertly navigating Gotham. It’s a real shame that Pfeiffer’s iconic Catwoman never got her own standalone film, while Halle Berry’s version did – it’s considered a major misstep in Hollywood history.

4. Kevin Conroy, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

Look, we’ve had a lot of incredible actors play Batman – Keaton, Bale, Pattinson, they’ve all brought something to the role. But for me, the best Batman, the guy who truly understood both the character and Bruce Wayne, was Kevin Conroy. He just nailed it. He could deliver that dry, sarcastic wit and that simmering rage perfectly. It all started with Batman: The Animated Series, and then he brought that same brilliance to the big screen with Mask of the Phantasm. That movie really dug into the tragedy of Bruce Wayne, and Conroy just brought so much emotional weight to the performance. He was, and will always be, the definitive Batman voice for me.

3. Jack Nicholson, Batman (1989)

As Jack Nicholson’s Joker famously declared while seeing a newspaper headline about Batman, he was about to make a big impact – and he wasn’t wrong. While there had been successful superhero films and memorable villains before the 1989 Batman movie – like Cesar Romero’s portrayal of the Joker in the 1960s series – Nicholson’s Joker was unlike anything audiences had seen before. With his unsettling energy and captivating presence, and iconic moves like pulling oversized guns from his pants, he redefined what a comic book villain could be.

2. Christopher Reeve, Superman (1978)

Christopher Reeve didn’t just become famous playing Superman—he redefined the character, making him even more iconic than before. The 1978 film promised audiences would “believe a man can fly,” and while the special effects were impressive for the time, it was Reeve’s performance—his physical presence, elegance, and genuine goodness—that truly convinced people Superman could be real.

1. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight (2008)

Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker was so exceptional and distinct from Jack Nicholson’s that it made any comparisons pointless. In The Dark Knight, he appears in Gotham City without any explanation of who he is or why he does what he does – he’s simply a force of pure chaos. This lack of motive makes his crimes even more frightening and creates a more compelling adversary for Christian Bale’s Batman. He was the Joker the film needed, though perhaps not the one we expected.

Read More

2026-03-12 22:27