HBO’s Lanterns television series just cast its iconic big bad.
While much of the focus thus far in the lead-up to the DCU's debut has been on the heroes, James Gunn and Peter Safran's new super-powered universe is set to include some exciting comic book villains as well.
This will include big bads squaring off against the franchise's iconic heroes, as well as entirely villain-focused projects (like the newly announced Clayface movie from Mike Flanagan).
Ulrich Thomsen To Play Sinestro
As reported by Deadline, actor Ulrich Thomsen has been cast as the villainous, power-ring-wielding Sinestro in Lanterns, set to arrive on HBO sometime in 2026.
After Nicholas Hoult makes his debut as Lex Luthor in July’s Superman, Thomsen’s Sinestro will be the next biggest bad in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU.
Fans will know Thomsen from his work in NBC's The Blacklist, Starz's Counterpart, and HBO's The Young Pope.
Who Is DC Comics Sinestro?
With Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro presumable serving as Lanterns’ primary antagonist, many casual DC fans might be wondering who the character is. After all, Sinestro is a popular villain, but not exactly on the level of Lex Luthor or the Joker.
First introduced in the pages of Green Lantern #7 back in 1961, Thaal Sinestro was created by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane (the same team who also created Hal Jordan).
Hailing from the planet Korugar, Sinestro was typically depicted as the Green Lantern of Sector 1417. A hard-nosed authoritarian, it was eventually revealed that he had used his abilities to establish a dictatorship on his homeworld with himself as its merciless leader.
When his abuse of power came to light, the Guardians of the Universe exiled Sinestro to the Anti-Matter Universe, a plane of existence where reality is topsy-turvy.
In certain DC continuities, Sinestro makes another stab at power. After obtaining a yellow power ring, he creates the Yellow Lantern Corps and resumes his nefarious ways.
Ulrich Thomsen is not the first actor to play Thaal Sinestro in live-action. In everyone’s favorite DC movie, the 2011, Ryan Reynolds-led Green Lantern, Mark Strong brought the evil Korugarian to the big screen.
The ending of that film even showed Sinestro becoming corrupted by a yellow power ring. But Green Lantern’s critical and commercial failure meant that the tease was never again followed up on.
At the very least, hopefully, Lanterns will bring the world of Green Lantern to life in a way that is more palatable to fans than the 2011 film. It certainly seems as though the show will be authentic if Aaron Pierre’s homework assignment is any indication.
DC Studios’ Lanterns is currently without an officially announced release date, but the series will reportedly arrive in 2026.
