So I might have been right. While making the press rounds for Brett Ratner’s Hercules last month, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made some comments about “baggage” potentially preventing him from taking on a role in one of DC’s upcoming films. At the time, I suggested that instead of the long-rumored Captain Marvel/Shazam role, the actor was seriously thinking about going dark as villain Black Adam.
According to an interview with the Associated Press, that would appear to be the case. While promoting the Mexican release of Hercules, The Rock said that he was still weighing which of the two roles to play, but that he had a real affinity for antiheroes.
The antihero bit got my attention: if Black Adam was coming to the big screen, would DC opt to avoid playing him as a full-on villain? Black Adam/Teth Adam often toes the line between good guy and bad guy, and even got a pretty great turn to the not-quite-evil side in the pages of the weekly event, 52 – assembling a superpowered family around himself and establishing himself as ruler of a peaceful nation. Of course, it all went bad: his kid sidekick was brutally murdered by a talking gator and the love of his life, Isis, was killed, but it was lovely while it lasted.
Some quick caveats here: the AP didn’t provide any direct quotes about The Rock specifically choosing between the two roles, and it would be very interesting if DC/Warner Bros. was giving him this much latitude to decide which part he wants. If this is true, it either speaks to a high level of confidence on the part of the studio that he can nail either part or that there’s not even really a script in place and they’re planning to build a movie around him. Either way, in the near future, you won’t need the Courage of Achilles to smell what the Rock is cooking in the DCCU.
Who would you like to see The Rock play in Shazam? Let us know in the comments below.
[HT: The Associated Press via USA Today]
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Rob Riggle for Captain Marvel and The Rock as Black Adam would be my choices.
Alan Ritchson would be a great option for Captain Marvel/Shazam.
They should cast against type and have him play Mary Marvel.
Captain Marvel should look a little younger and not quite so burly but Johnson would be great as Black Adam. Whoever plays the lead role,though, —-please call the character Captain Marvel NOT Shazam. To not use the name associated with him for 70 years would be highly annoying to say the least. On the other hand I would say that Black Adam will almost certainly have a name modification since it will sound weirdly racial to those not familiar with the character
The new 52 changed it to Shazam sorry!
I think he would make a great Black Adam! He already looks like him. Plus it would be his big chance to prove his range as an actor.
He would make a perfect Black Adam, but you need someone with a more youthful face to play Captain Marvel.
Exactly