For nearly 10 years, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has expressed his passion for the role of Black Adam in the upcoming Shazam film from New Line Cinema. But after last week’s meetings with DC Entertainment, Johnson’s commitment is going to the next level with a Black Adam solo movie.
Via The Hollywood Reporter, the new plan is that the Shazam movie will essentially split into two projects: a Black Adam film and Shazam, which will apparently be coming at a much later date. While Black Adam is arguably less well known than Shazam among the general public, that’s not the case for Johnson. Thanks to his appearances in the Fast and Furious franchise as well as his starring turns in San Andreas, Central Intelligence, and many other films, Johnson is one of the most bankable action stars today. According to the initial report, that was the main reason that executives decided to give Johnson his own franchise within the DC Extended Universe.
Black Adam made his debut as a villain for Shazam/Captain Marvel in the ’40s, but it was only within the last 20 years that the character was redefined as a largely misunderstood antihero who was more than just another comic book bad guy. In the modern DC Universe, Black Adam has genuinely good intentions for the people of his homeland, and a willingness to violently destroy anyone who threatens the safety of his beloved country.
It’s not entirely clear what will happen to the script of the Shazam movie, which will no longer feature Black Adam as the main villain. However, the report notes that it is possible that Black Adam and Shazam will face each other in a sequel, especially since their origins are so closely linked together. Johnson has also expressed a willingness to appear as Black Adam opposite Henry Cavill‘s Superman on the big screen. Somehow, we think he may get his wish even before Black Adam meets Shazam.
What do you think about the latest Black Adam developments? Call down the lightning in the comment section below!
Image: Universal/Sony
