The more casting news I hear for the Green Lantern-focused series Lanterns, the more excited I get. In particular, this upcoming DC TV show is finally shining a live-action spotlight on John Stewart, whose popularity skyrocketed in the 2000s thanks to Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, two of the best animated TV shows of all time. Aaron Pierre will play John in Lanterns opposite Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan and more, and another important figure in his life that makes me more excited about what this DC Universe project has in store for the character.

Following nearly two weeks after it was announced that Nicole Ari Parker is playing John Stewart’s mother, Bernadette, we now know who will be playing his father. Actually, we know who will be playing him in two different time periods. Deadline first reported that J. Alphonse Nicholson from the Star series P-Valley will play the younger version of John Sr., and then a day later, Deadline followed up with the news that Stranger Things’ Sherman Augustus will play the present-day John Sr.

While no character details were provided about the younger John Sr., Augustus’ version is described as the “human embodiment of stubborn,” and that he “tends to fixate on the past and what could have been.” This is an interesting foil to the “formidable and tenacious” Bernadette, who “refuses to give up” and “has worked her entire life to ensure that she and her family will not be passed over.” It sounds like while Bernadette is firmly focused on trying to make the best of what’s happening in Lanterns’ current era, John Sr. is unable to move forward due to unexplained circumstances from years back, hence why Nicholson’s younger version is necessary.

I’m so glad Lanterns is going to dedicate what sounds like a significant amount of time to exploring John Stewart’s life beyond being a Green Lantern. Having said that, I do wonder why it’s specifically happening. After all, the show’s premise sees John and Hal investigating a murder in Nebraska, and this will lead them to cross paths with characters like Kelly Macdonald’s Kerry, Garret Dillahunt’s William Macon (who some suspect is actually Black Hand) and even Ulrich Thomsen’s Sinestro, among others. Why would John’s parents factor into this?

Right now, I suspect that this Nebraska town is where Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart grew up. That would explain why Bernadette and John Sr. are so prominent in this story, otherwise we’d just be frequently checking in on them in another part of the United States, and that wouldn’t make much sense. I can also already envision John having a difficult relationship with his father, though I would hope it’s at least somewhat improved by the time this season of Lanterns is done.

We’ll learn out what Lanterns has planned for John Sr. when it premieres on HBO sometime in early 2026. However, we don’t have to wait that long to see a Green Lantern in action in the DCU, as Nathan Fillion will play Guy Gardner in Superman, which hits theaters on July 11.

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