The DCU is in full swing. Superman hit theaters this summer and reignited fan excitement. Now, DC Studios hopes to build on that momentum with the Lanterns series. According to reports, HBO Max plans to premiere the show in early 2026. In fact, sources confirm that production has already wrapped. The story follows John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler). They play two Green Lanterns investigating a murder on Earth. Meanwhile, among the cast is new DCU actor Ulrich Thomsen, who brings Sinestro to life for the first time in this universe.
But perhaps even more exciting is the debut of one of the most iconic Green Lantern villains: Sinestro.
DCU Actor Ulrich Thomsen Teases Sinestro Transformation
Actor Ulrich Thomsen, part of the Lanterns cast, recently took to social media to share an intriguing image of himself. In the photo, he has half of his mustache shaved — a nod to Sinestro’s well-known appearance.
His caption read:
“Bye for now [Sinestro] – I’ll keep one side for later. Hope to see you again.”
This seemingly lighthearted post appears to mark the end of his filming for the role, aligning with reports that Lanterns has finished principal photography. But more importantly, it hints that Thomsen might not be done with Sinestro just yet.
While it’s unclear how or when the character could return, his post has sparked speculation that DC Studios may have long-term plans for Sinestro in future DCU projects.
A Grounded Yet Epic Green Lantern Series
Lanterns will be the first live-action Green Lantern series to reach screens after years of stalled attempts. However, fans expecting a purely cosmic adventure may be surprised. According to early descriptions, Lanterns is a grounded, sci-fi noir mystery, drawing comparisons to True Detective and No Country for Old Men.
Director James Hawes, who previously worked on The Amateur and Slow Horses, admitted the project wasn’t his usual type. Yet, the writing by Chris Mundy and Damon Lindelof pulled him in. He explained:
“The scripts have got such wit, so much character. It’s like a buddy cop movie — a sort of True Detective, Fargo, No Country for Old Men — and then somebody flies.”
Despite the more realistic tone, Hawes reassured fans that the show won’t ignore its space roots:
“It won’t disappoint the classic fans. I think it will invite in a whole new audience as well, because you get to meet the characters in quite a rooted way, before it takes you intergalactic.”
A Star-Studded DCU Ensemble
In addition to Thomsen, the cast of Lanterns is packed with talent, including Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Nathan Fillion, Chris Coy, Nicole Ari Parker, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Sherman Augustus, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Paul Ben-Victor, who might be portraying Atrocitus, another major Green Lantern villain.
The series is being helmed by showrunner Chris Mundy, alongside executive producers Damon Lindelof and Tom King.
According to the official logline, the series follows:
“New recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.”
Ulrich Thomsen’s subtle social media tease may be small, but it has big implications. The DCU actor’s role as Sinestro could easily expand into something much larger within the universe. With Lanterns now wrapped and set for release in 2026, fans can look forward to a new era of grounded, character-driven DC storytelling — and possibly the rise of Sinestro as one of the franchise’s major villains.
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Sebastian Kind