Welcome to DC, aaron_pierre1. After an extensive and challenging audition process, I am confident that we have discovered…

Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge) has been tapped to star in Lanterns, HBO‘s high-profile series based on the Green Lantern DC comic. He is set to play John Stewart opposite Hal Jordan, a role Kyle Chandler has been in negotiations for and expected to close.

Pierre landed the John Stewart part after an extensive search. As Deadline reported two weeks ago, in the process’ final stages, he had emerged as a frontrunner alongside Stephen James.

The series from Ozark’s Chris Mundy, Watchmen‘s Damon Lindelof and comic book writer Tom King follows new recruit John Stewart (Pierre) and Lantern legend Jordan (Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.