Shazam!

[_____V_____]

November 2, 2007


The Rock will re-team with “Get Smart” director Peter Segal for a film version of “Shazam”, based on the comic of the same name.

Though the big guy was reportedly offered the opportunity to play the caped superhero Captain Marvel, he’s instead opted to play the villain.

The DC Comics’ property tells of Billy Batson, a youth who works as a radio news reporter and was chosen to be a champion of good by the wizard Shazam. Whenever Billy speaks the wizard's name, he is instantly struck by a magic lightning bolt that transforms him into an adult superhero – Captain Marvel - empowered with the abilities of six mythical figures.

The character Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson will be playing is ‘Black Adam’, a sort-of ‘villain with a conscience’. Adam was a previous appointee of the wizard Shazam, but soon used his power for his own corrupt ends, which forced the wizard to punish him. Generally, that punishment was to remove Adam from that time, only to appear in modern times to challenge Shazam's current appointee, Billy Batson, in his Captain Marvel form.

[The Vault of Horror]

The Rock is PERFECT for Black Adam.

[GorePhobia]

That sounds like an awesome casting choice. I wonder who they will get to play Captain Marvel.

[Phalanx]

Teth/Black Adam would make for a great villain in a movie adaptation...very similar powers, and yeah, he is a deeply disturbed yet somehow "just" individual with certain factors and beliefs that have put him on the other side of the coin.
- Personally, I think that fella with the beard from The Mummy series would've suited the role a little better, or maybe the dreadlocked guy from SG:A...but hey.

The Transformers kid would probably make an alright Billy Batson.

As for the Captain Marvel avatar himself...hm...can't really think of one...I mean the guy that played Colossus in the X-Men films'd be about the right shape/size/look, but other than that I'm drawing a blank.

Also, SHAZAM! isn't just the name of the wizard as such...it's the mantle, and activation word for the wielder of the power/chosen one, when they speak it they become (kind've) the living embodiment/amalgamation of...
S olomon
H ercules
A tlas
Z eus
A chilles
M ercury
...in terms of the powers/traits they take on when in the CM form.

[Roderick Usher]

That was an exceedingly nerdy explanation, Cheebs

Very nice

[Kemal]

After reading that post I regained my virginity and moved into my parent's basement.

[Phalanx]

Not sure if Black/Teth Adam actually showed up in it at all, but there was a SHAZAM live action tv series in the 70's...I never saw it, but know that it also included the "Marvel family" which were others that shared his powers, Mary Marvel, and Captain Marvel JR.

The Junior CM is at this point in comics continuity replacing the current Captain Marvel after the death of the wizard has made him accept the mantle. Replacement for replacement and all that.
However, I don't think events this current will be in the movie.

Recommended reading for anyone who wants to get a good feel for the characters and events.

*Superman/Shazam: First Thunder 10 issue limited series (few years back) Explains the origins, and events that took place during the heroes first year.
Got some sadness to it, this one...but one of my favourite CM tales. Says a lot about the character.

*Black Adam 6 issue limited series (currently running), about BA trying to resurrect his dead wife, after the last "crisis" showed him to be more than just a villain...still very much a fugitive, but looks like they MAY be steering him towards the light...for a little while at least. Great series so far, 4 issues in, and shows that he's a little more than your standard "supervillain"

*Trials of Shazam (current)
As I said, the former CM Junior is replacing CM, as CM has taken on the mantle of the wizard. A while back, the human host to CMJ was injured and almost completely crippled after his powers were taken. He is informed that he will have to take up the mantle of captain marvel, and that the only way to get back the "power of the word", is to work out and accept trials from modern day/real world versions of the gods the name represents.
Very interesting read so far...of course nothing to do with what this movie'll be about, but I'd suggest checking it out all the same.

[Yellow Jacket]

At first, I could've sworn the thread title said "Kazam and The Rock". I was thinking "Why in the blue hell do we need a Kazam remake, and what is The Rock doing in it?" Then I seen it said Shazam, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Anyway, this sounds like a good idea and a good career choice for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (as he goes by now).

[massacre man]

Warner Bros. has tapped scribe Bill Birch to reboot "Shazam!," the DC Comics' adaptation of the Captain Marvel story that's being developed as a potential franchise.

"Get Smart" director Peter Segal remains onboard to direct; he'll also produce with his Callahan Filmworks partner Michael Ewing. Geoff Johns will co-write and consult on the project.

Segal and Ewing began working on the film three years ago at New Line before it moved over to Warners. Pic centers on teenaged Billy Batson, who transforms into the superhero when he says the word "Shazam!" The studio is now looking to go back to the original DC Comics source material for inspiration.

Previous drafts have been penned by John August, William Goldman, Bryan Goluboff and the team of Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow.

Birch is currently writing "One Finger Salute" for Warner Bros. with Andrew Lazar producing and Segal attached to direct.

He's repped by ICM and Anonymous Content.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007487.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&ref=bd_film

[The_Return]

Wasn't The Rock attached at one point to play Black Adam? Thought I read that somewhere...