It’s no secret that DC Comics wants a piece of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. For months, the A-lister has been in talks for a role in one of the studio’s upcoming superhero blockbusters, and he’s been extremely active in baiting fans on Twitter and in interviews. Now, it appears that Johnson has confirmed that he is currently choosing between playing superhero Shazam or that hero’s arch-nemesis, Black Adam.
USA Today reports the actor recently told them, “I am putting my heart and soul and my bones into this role,” though he declined to indicate whether he was leaning one way or the other with regard to playing either Shazam or Black Adam. However, Johnson did tell the Associated Press yesterday that he’s always been a fan of antiheroes, so it’s possible that the actor may end up selecting Black Adam so as to take on such a character.
Warner Bros. was rumored to have slotted a Shazam movie for 2016, so we’ll likely hear something official about what role Johnson is taking on in the next few days. In the mean time, however, here are the official DC descriptions for both characters.
Here’s Shazam:
SHAZAM! Two syllables famous for magically turning a boy into a superpowered adult.
Unlike most foster children, Billy Batson couldn’t care less about finding a family. He just wants to turn eighteen and finally become an adult. While the boy’s compassionate and kind, he’s gotten used to protecting himself by staying emotionally distant from everybody. But that changes when he meets an ancient wizard who introduces him to one very powerful word.
Just by saying SHAZAM!, Billy is transformed into a magical flying adult superhero, one with the genius of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the unbreakable will of Atlas, the lightning blasts of Zeus, the power of Achilles and the speed of Mercury. But gaining the power of the gods means inheriting their enemies too. With the abilities of the world’s mightiest mortal, Billy will have to struggle with magical threats as well as his own youthful naïveté. To truly tap into his power, this orphan who’s always kept people at arm’s length will have to learn what family really is.
And here’s Black Adam:
Long ago, the council of wizards—powerful beings that held dominion over all magic in the world—chose the warrior Black Adam as their champion, granting him vast magical powers and abilities. However, that power only further skewed Adam’s already maligned moral compass, and rather than use his newfound gifts to help others, he used it to dominate them.
Adam turned against the wizards and after a brutal battle was imprisoned for thousands of years. But now he is free once more, and his insatiable quest to conquer the world, to control all magic, continues. The only thing that stands in his way is Shazam!, the new champion of magic—and Black Adam will do anything in his power to destroy him and assert his position as the true ruler of the world.
Driven by a need to rule, incredibly arrogant and one of the most powerful beings on the planet, Black Adam lives by a simple creed: kneel at his feet or be crushed by his boot.
Which character would you rather see Dwayne Johnson take on? Sound off below!