Posted in: HBO, Movies, TV | Tagged: dc studios, dcu, green lantern, lanterns

Lanterns Star Aaron Pierre: "Extensive DC Homework" Is "Going Well"

HBO and DC Studios' Lanterns star Aaron Pierre offered an update on how his prep is going, some additional thoughts on John Stewart, and more.

With rumblings getting louder that we might see production get underway on Chris Mundy (True Detective: Night Country, Ozark), Damon Lindelof (Watchmen, The Leftovers), and Tom King's (Mister Miracle, Supergirl) Aaron Pierre (John Stewart) and Kyle Chandler (Hal Jordan)-starring Green Lanterns series Lanterns later this month, Pierre is offering an update on how things are going with his John Stewart "homework," his thoughts on the character, and what they're aiming for physically for the character.

Checking in with Virgin Radio UK's The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Pierre discussed taking on the role of John Stewart, a character he says "has always radiated class, he's always radiated charisma, strength, identity." At the time of the interview, Pierre shared that he was still training and preparing, and that included some "extensive DC homework" and "physical preparation."  How's the homework going? "It's going well, it's going well. I'm just trying to be the best student I can, trying to get the best grades here," Pierre shared, noting that he's immersing himself in the comics, films, and television series. "It's just sort of familiarizing myself with things that I already know and then introducing myself to things I am learning about," he continued. "I'm mildly OCD. I'm very, very meticulous as a person, so I really want to leave no stone unturned. I want to feel as prepared as I can going into this."

From there, the conversation turns to Jesse Eisenberg's previous comments about wanting to play the best versions of his characters because they don't see themselves as the villains – a philosophy that Pierre agrees with, explaining how it helps him be true to the characters he plays. In terms of his physical approach to the DC Studios series, Pierre is asked if he will be getting back into the level of shape he was in for Netflix's Rebel Ridge. Without getting into specifics, Pierre explains how he's focusing on "compound lifts" and "mobility," with the goal being "functional fitness" – a combination of peak fitness while still being able to remain actively mobile.

Lanterns: A Look Back at Some Things We Know So Far…

"I don't want to give away all that stuff, but I think it's grounded just like, you know if Green Lanterns were real, what the fuck would they be and how would they be, you know?" Gunn shared when asked to explain what he and DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran meant when they described the series as "grounded" during his one-on-one with Josh Horowitz for the Happy Sad Confused podcast. For those taking issue with the series being described as "terrestrial," Gunn argued that the description is more than appropriate "because it's on Earth; the story takes place on Earth."

While Hal and John are still space-faring heroes, the story being told in Lanterns is Earth-bound – with Gunn adding that scenario is like "most Green Lantern stories." That means "it's not in outer space," and there won't be "a thousand Green Lanterns." Gunn continued, "It's a grounded story that's being told through another lens in a way that's really commensurate. You know it's an HBO series – and it's going to be an HBO series, and I'm happy with that, and I love the scripts." You can check out the segment at around the 32:50 mark in the episode below.

When the series was first announced, DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran noted that the series would play a major role in their New DCU. Comparing it to "a huge HBO-quality event" along the lines of "True Detective," the "Green Lantern" series is set to focus on Hal Jordan and John Stewart – who investigate a mystery that Safran said during the initial rollout "plays a really big role leading us into the main story that we're telling across our film and television. So this is a very important show for us."

Along with Pierre and Chandler, the HBO series also stars Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire, In the Line of Duty), Garret Dillahunt (Fear The Walking Dead), and Poorna Jagannathan (Never Have I Ever, Deli Boys). James Hawes (Slow Horses, Penny Dreadful) has been tapped to helm the opening chapters of the series.

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