It’s back-to-back casting news for HBO’s Lanterns, and this latest one brings even more weight to the Stewart family dynamic. Sherman Augustus, best known for Stranger Things and Into the Badlands, is set for a key recurring role in the upcoming DC series.
He joins an already stacked cast that includes leads Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre, along with Kelly Macdonald, Nicole Ari Parker, Poorna Jagannathan, Ulrich Thomsen, Jason Ritter, and most recently, J. Alphonse Nicholson—who plays the younger version of Augustus’ character.
Augustus steps into the role of John Senior, the father of John Stewart (Pierre). He’s described as the kind of man who’s deeply rooted in the past, often stuck replaying the “what ifs” of life. Think tough love, old-school values, and a healthy dose of stubbornness—all of which are sure to add emotional complexity to the Green Lantern’s origin story.
What ‘Lanterns’ Is All About
Created by Chris Mundy (Ozark, True Detective: Night Country), Damon Lindelof (Watchmen), and DC comic legend Tom King, Lanterns follows John Stewart and Hal Jordan—two Green Lanterns navigating a dark mystery here on Earth. Described as True Detective with cosmic consequences, the eight-episode series explores what happens when intergalactic cops uncover a murder that’s tied to something much bigger.
Behind the camera, James Hawes (Slow Horses, Black Mirror) is directing the first two episodes and serving as executive producer. The series is being developed under James Gunn and Peter Safran’s revamped DC Studios, making it the first live-action show officially greenlit under their new regime.
About Sherman Augustus
Augustus is no stranger to genre storytelling. He recurred on Netflix’s Stranger Things, which wraps with its fifth and final season later this year, and starred in the martial arts-driven Into the Badlands. His past credits span Westworld, Colony, American Odyssey, Low Winter Sun, and earlier regular roles on Marlowe and Profit.
With both Sherman Augustus and J. Alphonse Nicholson portraying different eras of John Senior, Lanterns is shaping up to deliver not just action and mystery—but real emotional depth.
And let’s be real: with this kind of casting and creative team? DC might just finally give Green Lanterns the live-action love they’ve long deserved.