For some time, we thought that Black Adam would be the first Shazam! movie’s main antagonist. However, a Black Adam solo flick was announced following a tease by lead actor Dwayne The Rock Johnson – although we didn’t realize what he meant at the time. Obviously, nothing was revealed about the plot, but Johnson referred to the character as one of the greatest heroes ever. It’s safe to assume that the movie will deal with the character’s origins.
That aside, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are still searching for a director for Shazam! It was rumored that Brad Peyton (who collaborated with Johnson on San Andreas and Journey 2) would take the helm, but we haven’t seen an official announcement.
It does look like some progress has been made, as the film has found a writer! According to The Tracking Board, the studios settled on Adam Sztykiel, who’s best known for writing comedies, such as Due Date, Made of Honor, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul. It would be inaccurate to say that he’s a newcomer, but it would also be inaccurate to say that those movies were in the same league as a DC Extended Universe offering.
This announcement was made just days after we learned that Zachary Levi had signed on to play the movie’s titular superhero. Of course, that could be a coincidence, but fans are already speculating that New Line and Warner Bros. plan to create a trilogy focused on Shazam and Black Adam. Whether that will actually happen remains to be seen.
Shazam! will hit theaters on April 5, 2019. Black Adam is still waiting for its release date.
