Nathan Fillion is back as Guy Gardner in the DC Universe, and the actor is opening up about bringing the brash Green Lantern into the much darker world of HBO’s Lanterns.

Fillion makes his latest appearance as Gardner in Episode 6 of the series, titled Bad Optics. The appearance marks his third DCU project as the character following Superman and Peacemaker.

Speaking with TheWrap about returning as Gardner, Fillion explained that he was excited to bring the character into Lanterns and had a simple reaction when the opportunity arrived.

“What took you so long?” Fillion joked.

Unlike his previous DCU appearances, Lanterns places Gardner inside a considerably more grounded story. The series follows John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), with its central mystery ultimately bringing Gardner into the picture.

Fillion told Men’s Health that maintaining the character’s consistency was important despite the dramatic change in tone.

Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner in Superman [DC]

“If I were to visit Metropolis for one weekend, and then visit Gotham the next weekend, I would be the same person. But I would be in two very different environments.”

The actor also offered some insight into what drives Gardner, describing a character who constantly feels the need to prove himself.

“Guy’s all about Guy. It’s always Guy first, because he has something to prove. He really wants to be the biggest ring in the room.”

That personality becomes especially interesting when Gardner is placed alongside fellow Green Lantern John Stewart. According to Fillion, Gardner sees himself as part of the same exclusive group as Stewart and Jordan but remains deeply competitive with both.

“He’s always thinking, ‘You think you’re better than me? You’re not better than me.’”

Despite Gardner’s arrogance, Fillion still considers him a hero — just not necessarily a selfless one.

His appearance in Lanterns also continues to establish Gardner as one of the recurring connective characters in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s growing DC Universe.

Lanterns stars Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, with Nathan Fillion appearing as Guy Gardner. New episodes stream on HBO Max.

HBO’s Harry Potter series has made a major casting change ahead of its second season, with Kit Harington stepping into the role of Gilderoy Lockhart following the departure of Nicholas Hoult.

Hoult was only recently announced as the new Lockhart, but the Superman star has exited the series due to scheduling conflicts. Harington will now portray the flamboyant Defense Against the Dark Arts professor when the television adaptation reaches Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

The casting brings Harington back to HBO, where he became one of the network’s most recognizable stars during his eight-season run as Jon Snow on Game of Thrones. More recently, Harington appeared as Sir Henry Muck on HBO’s Industry.

Interestingly, Harington already has some experience playing Lockhart. The actor voiced the character in the full-cast audiobook adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, giving fans an early taste of his interpretation before he takes the role into live action.

Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter in HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Aidan Monaghan/HBO

Kenneth Branagh famously portrayed Lockhart in the 2002 film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The character is introduced as a celebrated author and supposed adventurer who becomes Hogwarts’ new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, although his carefully constructed reputation quickly begins to unravel.

Hoult’s brief involvement with the series was officially announced earlier this month. His departure reportedly comes down to scheduling rather than any creative disagreement, with his growing slate of projects creating conflicts with production on Harry Potter.

HBO is moving quickly with its ambitious adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s novels. Season 1 will adapt Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, while Harington’s Lockhart is expected to make his debut during Season 2’s adaptation of Chamber of Secrets.

The series stars Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. The larger cast also includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall and Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy.

Season 1 of Harry Potter is scheduled to premiere on HBO and HBO Max on December 25, 2026, while production on the second season is expected to begin this fall.

DC Studios has a major television hit on its hands as Lanterns delivered the biggest premiere for a DC Studios series on HBO Max to date.

The new HBO series starring Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler drew 9.3 million global cross-platform viewers across HBO and HBO Max during its first three days, according to figures released by HBO. Of that total, 6.6 million viewers came from the United States.

The impressive debut makes Lanterns the biggest premiere for a DC Studios series on HBO Max, surpassing previous DC releases on the platform. It also places the series among the five biggest series premieres in HBO Max history.

For comparison, The Penguin debuted to 5.3 million U.S. viewers across HBO and Max in 2024, giving Lanterns a sizable advantage during its opening window.

Lanterns stars Pierre as John Stewart alongside Chandler as Hal Jordan, bringing two of DC’s most recognizable Green Lanterns together in a story that takes a considerably more grounded approach to the cosmic heroes.

Kyle Chandler, Lanterns [Warner Bros.]

The eight-episode series follows veteran Lantern Jordan and new recruit Stewart as they investigate a mysterious case in the American heartland. The series combines its superhero and science-fiction elements with a darker detective story, giving the Green Lantern mythology a different feel from previous live-action adaptations.

Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King created the series, with Mundy serving as showrunner. Lanterns is also a key installment in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe, connecting the television side of DC Studios’ expanding franchise with its larger Gods and Monsters storyline.

The record-setting debut is an encouraging sign for DC Studios, particularly considering the amount of attention surrounding the series before its premiere. The grounded direction and interpretation of the Green Lantern mythology generated plenty of discussion among fans, but the early viewership numbers show that audiences were interested in seeing what DC had planned.

With 9.3 million viewers in only three days and a place among HBO Max’s largest series launches, Lanterns is officially off to a strong start.

New episodes of Lanterns air Sundays on HBO and stream on HBO Max.