This weekend saw the successful release of Warner Bros./DC Films’ “Shazam.” After the success of last year’s “Aquaman,” many were wondering if WB could make it two quality films in a row (a feat that they haven’t been able to do previously) with “Shazam,” and judging by the box office and critical reception, it appears the studio has another hit on its hands. And while the top brass at WB is probably breathing a sigh of relief, the happiest person in the world right now is probably Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
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Over on his Instagram, the actor posted a four-minute video to fans, thanking them for the success of “Shazam.” You may be wondering why Johnson is so excited about the success of a comic book film that he’s not the star of. Well, for the better part of a decade, the actor has been developing the “Shazam” film, with an eye for himself to star as Black Adam. However, it was decided that Black Adam wouldn’t be featured in the film, and instead, would be getting his own origin story. That being said, if “Shazam” would have flopped hard at the box office, those plans would have been for naught.
So, Johnson explained to fans why his role in the film was cut and why he’s excited about the prospects in the future.
“We were trying to tell two origin stories in one script…Shazam is connected to Black Adam. Black Adam is an anti-hero or villain, who I cannot wait to play. I’ve been developing this, and it’s been with me in my DNA for over 10 years, now. We should start shooting that in about a year. Very excited about that,” said the actor.
He also revealed that he is the driving force behind the creative decision to split the two scripts into two separate films.
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“I didn’t think it was working,” explained Johnson. “Finally, I called up Warner Bros…and I said, ‘Brother, we have to split these stories and make two different movies.’”
Now, if you’re a fan of comic book films, you’re probably well aware that Johnson has been teasing a “Black Adam” film for years now. At this point, “Black Adam” is almost up there with “Gambit” as superhero films that keep getting talked about as if they’re happening with very little proof that they are actually moving forward. However, with the success of “Shazam,” it appears that now is the perfect time to get “Black Adam” out to fans.
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