Aaron Pierre Is Joining Lanterns but He Has Already Been a DC Character

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As a seasoned movie enthusiast who’s had the pleasure of witnessing the evolution of on-screen storytelling over the years, I must say that Aaron Pierre’s journey is nothing short of captivating. His journey started with a minor role on Krypton, a series that, despite its brief run, introduced us to an intriguing corner of the DC universe and showcased Pierre’s potential.


Following numerous rumors, it has been confirmed that Aaron Pierre will portray John Stewart, the Green Lantern, in HBO’s upcoming series titled “Lanterns”. Given his previous roles in “Justice League” and “Justice League Unlimited”, John Stewart is widely recognized as one of the most iconic Green Lantern characters among fans and the public alike. The announcement that Pierre was among the top contenders, alongside Stephan James from “If Beale Street Could Talk”, garnered immediate support from fans following his impressive performance in the Netflix original film “Rebel Ridge”.

In his new role as John Stewart, Pierre will join James Gunn in the interconnected DC Universe (DCU), encompassing projects such as the upcoming Superman reboot, the animated Creature Commandos, Peacemaker Season 2, and Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, among others. Much like actors such as Clancy Brown and Nathan Fillion, Pierre is no stranger to the DC universe. Previously, he had a stint in a brief Superman-centered series, focusing on Superman’s grandfather.

Aaron Pierre Starred in Krypton

Pierre’s debut performance was in the Syfy Channel series called “Krypton.” This show premiered on March 21, 2018, and ended on August 14, 2019. The storyline took place 200 years before Superman was born and centered around Seg-El (played by Cameron Cuffe), who aimed to restore his family’s reputation and prevent the destruction of Krypton at the hands of Brainiac. Pierre portrayed Dev-Em, a fresh Kryptonian soldier, who had no idea that Lyta-Zod (Georgina Campbell) was secretly involved with Seg-El. Although Dev-Em was temporarily taken over by Brainiac, he managed to escape and eventually joined forces with Seg-El.

Dev-Em, initially conceived by Jerry Siegel and George Papp, first appeared in Adventure Comics issue #287, published in June 1961. Initially, he was a problematic Kryptonian teenager who clashed with Superboy (a young Clark Kent). Later on, Dev-Em journeyed into the future where he joined forces with the Legion of Superheroes. However, following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC Comics decided to alter the character’s origin, making Superman the sole Kryptonian. As a result, Dev-Em was reimagined as a Daxamite alien and transformed into a full villain. His Kryptonian status was restored in 2006, positioning him once more among the prisoners of the Phantom Zone.

As a passionate film aficionado, I’d rephrase that as: In the comics, Dev-Em was merely a secondary character, but the innovative series “Krypton” managed to shine a spotlight on him, something a traditional Superman narrative couldn’t accomplish. They dared to alter his origin, making him part of a love triangle involving Seg-El, Superman’s grandfather, and General Zod’s mother. Some might have scoffed at the concept of a Superman series without Superman or a Krypton series focusing on someone other than Jor-El, but “Krypton” served as an introduction to Aaron Pierre for us, as prior to that, he only appeared in minor roles in shows like “Prime Suspect 1973,” “The A Word,” and “Britannia.” Remarkably, “Krypton” debuted the same year Pierre played Cassio in a stage adaptation of “Othello” at the Globe Theater in London. For me, “Krypton” was a significant stepping stone in Aaron Pierre’s journey to stardom.

The Future of Green Lantern

Over the past five years since “Krypton” ended, Pierre’s acting career has flourished. In 2021, he made his cinematic debut with M. Night Shyamalan’s film “Old.” Following this, he appeared in “Brother” in 2022 and “Foe” in 2023. This year, 2024, has been an exceptional one for Pierre. His portrayal of Terry Richmond, a former Marine battling a corrupt police force, in “Rebel Ridge,” which was a hit on Netflix, received significant acclaim. Recently, he secured the lead role of John Stewart in “Lanterns.” Later this year, he will lend his voice to Mufasa in the Disney prequel, “Mufasa: The Lion King.

Kyle Chandler has been announced to play Hal Jordan in the upcoming film “Lanterns“. He will share screen time with Pierre. Interestingly, Chandler’s agreement does not include roles in other films, hinting that Pierre could be the primary Green Lantern in James Gunn’s DC Universe. With Superman set to star Hawkgirl, portrayed by Isabela Merced, it seems James Gunn could be assembling a Justice League similar to the animated series. In this series, a romantic relationship between John Stewart’s Green Lantern and Hawkgirl was prominent, which might be a possibility for James Gunn’s DCU.

Pierre certainly has come a long way, from playing a lesser-known DC hero on a Syfy series to now playing one of the most famous DC heroes who will lead an HBO series and possibly spin off into feature films. Pierre is an actor who has traveled across DC’s cosmos and multiverse. His hit film, Rebel Ridge, is available to stream on Netflix.

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2024-10-10 04:31