While it’s not set to be released until 2019, excitement is already at an all-time high for Shazam. A big part of that stems from the fact that the movie will see Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson take on the role of Black Adam, a character who has served as both a villain and anti-hero in the comic books over the years.
With a fascinating backstory and a magical background that could do for the DC Extended Universe what Doctor Strange has done for Marvel, both Shazam and Black Adam are two incredibly powerful characters who it should be a lot of fun to see clash on the big screen. Heck, if a Christmas Day Instagram post is to be believed, we may even see Superman make an appearance, too.
Now, in a recent Q&A, Johnson has explained a little bit about what drew him to the role of Black Adam in Shazam and why he loves the character.
“I love the role of Black Adam. I love that he starts off as a slave, that he felt like he was wronged. I just love that backstory, and I think that Black Adam has always been, for me, the most intriguing superhero.”
It’s interesting to see the wrestler turned actor refer to the character as a superhero, though it would make sense for Warner Bros. to take Black Adam in that direction with someone like The Rock in the role. After all, his charisma lends itself more to a good guy than a villain, but chances are we’ll see him portrayed more as an anti-hero in the long run.
We’ll just have to wait and see if that’s the case, but with fan-art proving that Johnson is a perfect fit for the role, it’s fair to say that Shazam can’t get here soon enough so that we can finally see him suit up.