The Wrap is reporting that Lights Out and Annabelle 2 director David F. Sandberg is currently in talks to helm Shazam for Warner Bros. So far, the lead role remains empty, but we do know that Dwayne Johnson will show up as antihero Black Adam before headlining his own solo outing as the character, which is being developed concurrently with this project.
Though still relatively fresh in Hollywood, Sandberg made a big impact with his feature film debut, the aforementioned Lights Out, which impressed critics and provided an unsettling and chilling watch that stands as one of the best horror movies of 2016. It no doubt earned him the directing gig on Annabelle 2 and now, he’s set to reach even higher as he joins the DC Extended Universe with Shazam. Admittedly, he seems like an odd pick, given that Shazam appears to be a more light-hearted story, but perhaps he’ll be providing a different spin on it thanks to his horror sensibilities?
We still haven’t heard a peep about who Warner Bros. might be looking at for the titular role, but with a director now attached, we imagine it’s just a matter of time before the studio settles on an actor to lead the film. It’ll be interesting to see who they choose, too, as whoever it is will have to be able to hold their own against Johnson, who’s a tremendously strong screen presence and could threaten to overshadow Shazam with his portrayal of the antihero Black Adam.
Time will tell how that ultimately turns out, but until we hear more, feel free to drop us a comment down below letting us know who you’d like to see star in David F. Sandberg’s Shazam, which is set to release at some point in 2019.