New Line Cinema and DC Entertainment have announced that the upcoming "Shazam!" movie is going to be split into two. While the first film is still centered around superhero Shazam aka Captain Marvel, the other will focus on Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the villain, Black Adam.
The original plan was for Johnson to star as the main villain for the "Shazam!" movie, Deadline reported. While he will still appear in the film, Black Adam is now getting more time in the spotlight with his own spin-off where is still expected to be portrayed as an anti-hero.
Black Adam first appeared in the "Captain Marvel" comic books in 1945, back when the character was owned by Fawcett Comics. He was created by C.C. Beck and Otto Binder as a one-shot villain for their hero. He was later brought back as Captain Marvel's main arch-nemesis when Fawcett was acquired by DC.
In the original Fawcett and DC comic books, Black Adam has always been portrayed as Captain Marvel's predecessor. However, the character turned to the dark side after abusing his powers, murdering his enemies and conquering lands with the aim of protecting his people.
No writer or director has yet been attached to handle the "Black Adam" movie. It is also unclear at this point whether the two films will be connected to the DCEU, which includes movies like "Man of Steel," "Wonder Woman" and "Justice League."
Johnson has been attached to the project since 2008. He officially confirmed his role as Black Adam back in late 2014. Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema have yet to announce their casting choice for Captain Marvel.
Since those years his popularity has begun to rise, with his recent role in the "Fast and Furious" movies. He is also set to star in this year's "Jumanji" and "Baywatch" movies.He is also the highest paid actor of 2016, having earned $64.5 million, Polygon reported.
The "Shazam!" movie will release on April 5, 2019. No date has yet been stated for the "Black Adam" movie. A trailer for the next Dwayne Johnson film, "Baywatch," can be viewed below: