2026’s Green Lantern TV Show Will Officially Introduce DC’s Own Doctor Doom

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The upcoming Green Lantern TV series, now titled Lanterns, will feature a villain reminiscent of Doctor Doom. With Robert Downey Jr. bringing Doctor Doom back into the spotlight in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Avengers: Doomsday, DC is also planning to showcase a similarly powerful antagonist in their new series. This will add to DC’s history of formidable villains.

Ulrich Thomsen will play the villain Sinestro in the new DC series Lanterns, which is coming to HBO Max this year. Sinestro is widely considered the Green Lantern’s greatest enemy, and some fans have drawn comparisons between him and Marvel’s Doctor Doom, who is also returning to the big screen in 2026.

In DC Comics, Thaal Sinestro was once considered the most skilled and powerful Green Lantern. However, his ambition led to corruption, and he was banished for betraying his people. He then switched to a yellow power ring, forming his own group and becoming a ruthless ruler across the galaxy.

Marvel’s Doctor Doom is the ruler of Latveria, a country in Eastern Europe, and is famous for both his scientific mind and magical abilities – which will be seen on screen for the first time in the movie Avengers: Doomsday. His history includes a bitter rivalry with Reed Richards from their college days, resulting in facial scars from a failed attempt to connect with his deceased mother. He later crafted a suit of armor and mask, aided by a group of monks, and returned to Latveria to seize control of the nation.

Doom and Sinestro are alike in that they’re both villains who believe in strict control and represent powerful organizations. Sinestro built his reputation through law enforcement, first as a Green Lantern and later leading his own group. Doom gained power by becoming the dictator of Latveria.

Both characters represent powerful figures who often act as villains connected to established systems. They’ve both been labeled as fascist, with Sinestro’s forces sometimes resembling excessively forceful police. Doctor Doom’s actions have been likened to those of historically oppressive European leaders. However, a key difference is that Doom inherits his power, while Sinestro gains it through the Lantern Corps and then abuses his position to expand his influence.

Doom and Sinestro are similar in both their power and intelligence. Both are considered geniuses, and both are highly skilled with technology. Sinestro is famous for his control over various Lantern Rings, while Doom builds incredibly advanced machines. These machines can create weapons, forcefields, manipulate time, and even alter reality, and they’re powered by his magical abilities.

Both of these characters are interesting because they haven’t always been clearly good or evil. They’ve switched sides several times, acting as heroes at times and villains at others.

Sinestro began as a dedicated member of the Green Lantern Corps, fighting for justice throughout the galaxy, though he was known for his extreme and forceful tactics. Similarly, while Doom often acts as a ruthless dictator, he genuinely believes his strict rule is essential for achieving lasting peace and security worldwide. He’s even saved the entire multiverse from destruction, becoming incredibly powerful – often considered on par with Thanos.

Coming this late summer to HBO Max, Lanterns is the third new series set in the revamped DC Universe led by James Gunn and Peter Safran. The show will follow John Stewart and Hal Jordan – played by Aaron Pierre, Kyle Chandler, Ulrich Thomsen, Nathan Fillion, and Jeremy Irvine – as they team up to solve a mysterious case here on Earth while working with the Green Lantern Corps.

What To Expect From Sinestro in Green Lantern TV Show

Sinestro is joining the growing list of villains in the DCU, but details about his role in the Lanterns series are currently being kept secret. With Warner Bros. and DC Studios releasing very little information about the show as of early 2026, fans likely won’t learn much about his story until closer to the premiere.

Currently, the show will introduce Hal Jordan as an experienced Green Lantern who discovers and recruits John Stewart. This setup suggests that Sinestro might still be a hero at the beginning of the story, allowing viewers to witness his eventual fall from grace and departure from the Green Lanterns.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Sinestro brought to life – Mark Strong played him in the 2011 Green Lantern movie. However, this new show is expected to give the character more complexity and development than ever before. Plus, there’s a strong feeling among fans that DC has big plans for Sinestro beyond the first season of Lanterns, with hints that he’ll be back for future projects after filming wraps.

The series might initially portray Sinestro as a heroic figure alongside Stewart and Jordan, before he eventually becomes a villain. Since details about the show’s storyline are scarce, DC will likely reveal more information as the marketing campaign progresses later this year.

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2026-01-17 09:35