Sterling K. Brown Wants To Play Green Lantern John Stewart For A Sweet Reason
With the old DCEU finally finished with 2023's "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," fans are looking ahead to James Gunn's DCU, and so is Sterling K. Brown. The three-time Primetime Emmy winner, most famous still for his turn as Randall Pearson on "This Is Us," has officially voiced his desire to find a role in the comic book franchise, and not just any role. Specifically, he wants to play John Stewart's Green Lantern.
"I watched that Justice League cartoon religiously in like high school, college right after," Brown said in an interview with Rotten Tomatoes. "It was dope." The show in question — 2001's "Justice League," which later became "Justice League Unlimited" — is widely regarded as one of the best animated outings for the comic book brand in recent times. It also features John Stewart as the primary Green Lantern and a core member of the titular team.
"Seeing John Stewart, knowing that there was a black [Green] Lantern, was something like in terms of representation, was like, 'Oh Man! There's a space for me in this world and I see it,'" Brown added. "And when I would look at it, I would think, 'I kind of look like this cartoon.'" Playing the part wouldn't just be fun for him, either, but also something special for his kids.
"If it could happen, that would be legitimately exciting," Brown said. "That would be one of those giddy-inducing moments in life because my kids would get it, without me having to explain it to them."
Could Sterling K. Brown actually play Green Lantern in the DCU?
As of now, Sterling K. Brown's affection for John Stewart is simply that. But that doesn't mean that he couldn't one day actually play the character on screen. Nathan Fillion has been cast as the DCU's first official Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, and will appear in James Gunn's "Superman: Legacy." But there's also a big-budget Green Lantern TV show in the works, and Warner Bros. has yet to announce the stars.
Currently going by the title of "Lanterns," the planned series is being developed on the HBO and Max side of things at WB. And, in an official statement from DC in January 2023, DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran confirmed that it will star the two most famous Green Lanterns: Hal Jordan and John Stewart. "It is more of a 'True Detective'-type mystery with our two Lanterns," Safran said. "A terrestrial-based mystery." James Gunn added that the series "leads into the overall story that we're telling throughout the different movies and television shows. We find this ancient horror on Earth, and these guys are basically supercops on 'Precinct Earth.'"
Little else has been revealed since the announcement of the show, but it seems to still be in the works. If DC Studios is currently looking for someone to play the new version of John Stewart, Brown has both the passion and the TV chops to absolutely nail the part. So fans, cross your fingers.