DCU’s Lanterns series has found one of its main villains: Sinestro. Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen has been chosen to portray the founder of the Sinestro Corps in the upcoming Max series. He will star alongside the show’s leads, Kyle Chandler (Hal Jordan) and Aaron Pierre (John Stewart).
For those unfamiliar with the actor, Thomsen is best known for his performances in popular shows such as Counterpart and The Blacklist.
Thomsen’s casting has certainly caught many fans off guard, as he is not as prominent as his co-stars. It also becomes intriguing because the last time we saw Sinestro in a live-action portrayal was in Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern (2011), where Mark Strong played the character. Strong is a high-profile actor, whereas Thomsen is a lesser-known name. It will be interesting to see how he does justice to the role.
Another interesting question is which version of Sinestro we will see in Lanterns. Green Lantern (2011) was entirely an origin story for both the protagonist and Sinestro. In the movie’s post-credits scene, Sinestro takes the yellow ring, turning his eyes from green to yellow along the way.
If Green Lantern had emerged as a critical and commercial success, Warner Bros. would surely have greenlit its sequel, where we could have witnessed a more antagonistic side of Sinestro. But that didn’t happen.
Given Lanterns’ timeline, which already features a more mature Hal Jordan and an uptight John Stewart, it seems Sinestro has already lost his way. We may see a more villainous side of the character in the forthcoming Max series.
In the comics, Sinestro became corrupted by his desire for order and control. He ruled his homeworld, Korugar, with an iron fist, effectively turning it into a dictatorship. When the Guardians of the Universe discovered his tyrannical methods, they expelled him from the Green Lantern Corps and banished him to the antimatter universe of Qward.
We could also see more of Sinestro’s mindset and beliefs. He genuinely believes that fear, not willpower, is the key to maintaining order in the universe. His yellow power ring enables him to create constructs made of pure energy, fly, generate force fields, and wield a variety of other powers fueled by his ability to instill fear.
Sinestro is a character who strongly believes his actions serve the greater good. This means he will do whatever it takes to achieve his goals, even if it wreaks havoc on the lives of Jordan and Stewart. He could bring serious trouble to the two intergalactic buddy cops, potentially shaking the very foundation of the budding DCU.
So far, Lanterns has assembled a talented cast, including Ulrich Thomsen, Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Kelly Macdonald, Poorna Jagannathan, and Garret Dillahunt. Filming for the series is expected to commence in February this year, with 2026 being the most likely release year. Stay tuned for more updates.
We’re hiring!
We are hiring two full-time junior to mid-level writers with the option to work remotely. You need to work a 5-hour shift and be available to write. Interested candidates should email their sample articles to [email protected]. Applications without a sample article will not be considered.
