‘Lanterns’: HBO DC Series Casts Laura Linney

Laura Linney has officially joined the cast of the upcoming DC series “Lanterns” at HBO.

Linney will appear alongside previously announced cast members Aaron Pierre, Kyle Chandler, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Jason Ritter, and Ulrich Thomsen. It was also previously confirmed that Nathan Fillion would reprise the role of fellow Green Lantern Guy Gardner in the series. Linney’s casting was first reported in 2025, though it was not officially confirmed until now. Exact details on the character she will be playing are being kept under wraps.

Per the official logline, the show follows “new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.”

Linney most recently starred in the MGM+ series “American Classic” opposite Kevin Kline. One of her best known roles was a starring role in the hit Netflix crime drama “Ozark,” on which she played Wendy Byrde throughout show’s four-season run. Her work on the show earned her four Emmy nominations — three for best actress in a drama and one as part of the producing team when the got the nod for best drama series. Linney has received five other Emmy nominations in her career with three wins — one for the TV movie “Wild Iris,” one for “The Big C,” and one for the HBO miniseries “John Adams.” She also won Golden Globes for both “The Big C” and “John Adams.” In film, Linney is a three-time Oscar nominee for the movies “You Can Count on Me,” “Kinsey,” and “The Savages.”

She is repped by CAA, Lighthouse Management & Media, and Yorn Levine Barnes.

“Lanterns” does not have an official premiere date but is expected to debut in August 2026. It is produced by HBO in association with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios. It was picked up for eight episodes at HBO in June 2024. Originally intended as a Max original, the show shifted to HBO as part of a new content delineation plan.

“Lanterns” is co-written by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King. All three serve as executive producers along with James Hawes, with Hawes also directing the first two episodes. James Gunn, Peter Safran, and Ron Schmidt also an executive produce. Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel, and Alik Sakharov will direct on the series. HBO produces in association with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios.