Though Dwayne Johnson’s Midas touch wasn’t enough to salvage Baywatch from the murky depths of mediocrity, the former WWE superstar continues to be one of the most prolific actors in Hollywood, and one glance at his IMDb page will tell you that Johnson has filled his slate all the way into the year 2020.
From Jungle Cruise to Rampage, San Andreas 2 to the as-yet-untitled ninth installment in Universal’s Fast and Furious saga, it’s a casting docket that mixes budding franchise-starters with blockbuster sequels. But the one Dwayne Johnson project that has undoubtedly sparked a sense of enthusiasm among DC fans is Black Adam.
The actor first signed on to play the hulking anti-hero three years ago and in those intervening years, he’s been busy raising awareness for Black Adam – heck, The Rock has even gone so far as to identify who he’d like to see don the mantle of Shazam in a few years’ time (spoilers: it’s Armie Hammer).
Neither Warner Bros. nor Hammer have issued any form of response to Dwayne Johnson’s suggestion, so chalk this one up as another rumor for now. Speaking of which, 4chan’s latest, exhaustive report – a report that compiled various rumors relating to Gotham City Sirens, Wonder Woman 2, and even Green Lantern Corps – now suggests that Black Adam will indeed appear in Warner’s upcoming Shazam film, despite claims to the contrary. There’s even mention of a Superman cameo, which may well serve as the connective tissue between Shazam and the inevitable Man of Steel 2.
First published via 4chan, and later relayed to us through Reddit, here’s the extract in question. Keep in mind that this is yet to be confirmed by WB, and we fully expect the studio to maintain its radio silence on Shazam until a director has been chosen.
Black Adam wasn’t set to appear in the Shazam film but after some discussions, the character will be the main antagonist of the film. Superman is also expected to cameo in the film. The film will be heavily inspired by Geoff Johns’ New 52 Shazam run and the First Thunder comic. The solo Black Adam film doesn’t have a writer or director yet and will most likely happen after 2020.
Shazam has been tentatively set for release in 2019, with Black Adam expected to follow shortly thereafter. Next to tumble off Warner’s production line is the Wonder Woman solo movie (June 2nd), which is currently riding the crest of a wave of critical adulation.