DC Studios' next leading man dodged a bullet with Marvel Studios' problem child movie. Being the two titans of the superhero genre, Marvel and DC have been in competition, at least in the fans' eyes, for many years. While the MCU has been leading that race for the most part since it began, that's not to say there haven't been stumbles along the way, with movies such as Inhumans and Blade reaching development roadblocks. Currently, the red brand is facing more backlash than ever, while the DCU is hitting a new stride thanks to its James Gunn-led reboot.
The DCU's next release is expected to come with Lanterns, an eight-episode HBO series premiering in early 2026. The True Detective-inspired series will feature 60-year-old Kyle Chandler as veteran space cop Hal Jordan, but the true star of the story will be new recruit John Stewart, played by actor Aaron Pierre.
Lanterns is expected to be the DCU's third live-action project, following Superman and Peacemaker Season 2, which centered on David Corenswet's Superman and John Cena's Peacemaker, respectively. DC Studios began its new era with Creature Commandos, a TV-MA animated series that focused on an ensemble, headed up by Frank Grillo, Alan Tudyk, David Harbor, Indira Varma, and more.
The 31-year-old shot to stardom in 2024 after leading the Emmy-winning Netflix original movie, Rebel Ridge, starring as a former Marine who confronts corruption in a small town. Since then, he has also appeared in Disney's $723 million-grossing Mufasa: The Lion King, giving a voice to the young titular icon.
Before Rebel Ridge propelled Pierre into the speeding career he has today, the actor was confirmed to join the MCU in 2022 with a "major role" in Blade.
The Mahershali Ali-led vampire flick has arguably been Marvel Studios' most troubled development ever. It was announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 and is still showing no signs of entering production, never mind releasing, after abandoning multiple dates and later leaving Disney's release calendar entirely.
Over the years, Blade has lost two directors in Bassam Tariq (whose take included Pierre) and Yann Demange. Furthermore, at least six writers have taken a stab at the vampire script, including those from The Bear, X-Men '97, True Detective, Black Widow, and Blade Runner 2049, throughout which Blade has evolved from being a horror-esque period piece to a modern-day affair.
Unfortunately, as Blade's script and creative forces evolved, Pierre confirmed by March 2024 that he was "no longer part of that," and he's not the only major star to have left Marvel Studios' troubled production behind. It's unclear who the Lanterns star would have played, be it an original character or a Marvel icon.
There's no telling if Blade is even still happening, as there were reports that development was "paused." Even if Marvel Studios eventually gets the superhero horror off the ground, it is bound to be a vastly different version from what Pierre was part of, as he was likely involved in the earlier period piece iterations.
Regardless, neither Blade nor Lanterns would have been Pierre's superhero genre debut, as he appeared in two seasons of Syfy's lesser-known Superman prequel series, Krypton, from 2018 to 2019, as a Zod-loyal military commander.
In the coming years, Pierre won't just join the DCU as John Stewart, but also take a journey into the galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: Starfighter. The actor will play an unknown role in Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy's 2027 flick, to which he told Esquire how he "[understands] the magnitude" of the franchise:
“All I can say is Shawn Levy is so very wonderful. He’s so passionate. He cares so very much, as does everyone who is involved in this. And we’re really doing our best to bring the very best version of this film to the fans and the supporters, and to those who will be introduced to the world for the first time. We understand the magnitude of this, so we’re very excited."
Had Pierre's role at Marvel Studios worked out, as well as his ones at Lucasfilm and DC Studios, the Lanterns actor would have joined an exclusive club of just a few actors who are part of pop culture's three biggest franchises.
Why Losing Marvel's Blade Was a Huge Win for Aaron Pierre
Ultimately, it seems doubtful that Aaron Pierre's role in Blade would have been more than a one-and-done, especially given his limited stardom at the time. As such, there's no denying he dodged a bullet in exiting Blade, as it cleared room for him to become a critical piece of the DCU as John Stewart.
This has left Pierre as the lead in Lanterns, a major HBO original which could become a multi-season affair. But it also opens the door for him to become a founding member of the new Justice League, where he will join David Corenswet's Superman, along with the next Batman and Wonder Woman.
It seems DC Studios is cooking up big plans for the legendary Green Lantern in the DCU, as Pierre has seemingly teased his return in Man of Tomorrow, the much-anticipated Superman sequel, which will take flight on July 9, 2027.
