HBO’s Lanterns Reportedly Adds Matlock Star in Key Supporting Role

The cast of HBO’s Lanterns continues to grow. The newest addition to the DC Universe is reportedly Matlock actor Jason Ritter.

The Lanterns casting was reported by trusted insider Jeff Sneider in his TheInSneider newsletter. Ritter will reportedly play Kelly Macdonald’s husband in the DCU drama series, which is currently in production. Macdonald was cast back in October 2024 as Sheriff Kerry, “a no-nonsense woman deeply devoted to her family and close-knit town. Her resilience, shaped by a complex past that’s hardened her resolve, anchors her when the community’s secrets begin to surface.” Ritter’s reported casting comes less than a week after And Just Like That… star Nicole Ari Parker was tapped to play John Stewart’s mother, Bernadette.

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The son of actors John Ritter and Nancy Morgan, Ritter is primarily known for his television work, appearing in series such as Joan of Arcadia, Parenthood, Gravity Falls, Another Period, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, and, currently, Matlock, where he stars opposite Kathy Bates as Julian Markston, a senior partner at Jacobson Moore. His film credits include Freddy vs. Jason (2003), W. (2008), The Perfect Family (2011), Wild Canaries (2014), and the Disney animated sequel Frozen II (2019).

Green Lantern Meets True Detective

Lanterns was first announced as part of the initial DC Studios slate in January 2023. The series, which has been described as True Detective in the DC Universe, was ordered to series by HBO in June 2024. Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler co-lead Lanterns as John Stewart and Hal Jordan, respectively. A first look at the two actors in the show was released at the end of February. According to an official synopsis, Lanterns follows “Hal Jordan, a legend among the space police force known as the Green Lanterns,” as he reluctantly mentors a younger Green Lantern, John Stewart, as the two intergalactic cops get “drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.”

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The rest of the Lanterns cast so far includes Fear the Walking Dead’s Garrett Dillahunt as William Macon, a modern cowboy who masks his ruthless ambition behind a charming and calculated facade; Never Have I Ever actor Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe, a woman who is “effortlessly confident and poised in any setting”; and Banshee star Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, a rogue former member of the Green Lantern Corps.

The creative team for Lanterns consists of Damon Lindelof (Watchmen), comic book writer Tom King, and Chris Mundy (Ozark), who will also serve as showrunner on Lanterns. Production began in February 2025 in Los Angeles under the working title Latitude. The first two episodes will be directed by James Hawes, with the remainder of the season set to be helmed by Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel, and Alik Sakharov.

Lanterns is expected to premiere on HBO in 2026, as part of the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

Source: TheInSneider

Lanterns (DCU)

Action

Adventure

Network HBO

Directors James Hawes

Writers Tom King, Chris Munday

Franchise(s) DC Universe

Cast

See All

Kyle Chandler

Hal Jordan

Aaron Pierre

John Stewart

Creator(s) Tom King, Chris Munday

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