As the premiere of Fury of the Gods approaches, star Zachary Levi addressed concerns that Black Adam would make an appearance in the movie.
When his DC debut appeared on the big screen late last year, Dwayne Johnson’s DCU hero has been the subject of much discussion. Numerous people have pondered whether Teth-Adam and Shazam might ever face off in one of Warner Bros.’s super-powered blockbusters because of their tight relationship on the comic page.
Johnson has been adamant about keeping the two heroes “apart” because, according to rumors, he doesn’t like the way the Shazam! movies are going.
Johnson may not have a bright future at DC, but there is still a potential that he may appear in the Shazam! sequel.
Black Adam and Zachary Levi crossover
The Shazam! Fury of the Gods star Zachary Levi discussed the possibility of a Black Adam/Shazam movie crossover in a recent interview.
Zachary Levi said he was “absolutely open to that” when asked about it by Jake Hamilton of Jakes Takes.
The Rock’s character Black Adam was allegedly intended to be introduced at some point, according to Hamilton. I’m just kind of interested in how that developed and what you know about that.
“That’s all well above my pay grade,” said Levi. I am clueless. I’m aware that there have been some very awesome, epic confrontations between Shazam and Black Adam in the comics and even in some anime. Black Adam, Superman, and Shazam. I’m aware that many fans desired that. All I know is that I was very receptive to that.
In the months leading up to Warner Bros.’s (WB) Black Adam movie, rumors of Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam and Zachary Levi’s DC hero clashing first surfaced last Fall.
Johnson had a “thinly veiled distaste for Shazam,” according to earlier reports, but at the time, it was believed that DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safarn would be able to persuade Johnson to make anything happen.
Even when requested, the Black Adam actor reportedly “passed on doing a cameo in Shazam 2.”
Johnson insisted on keeping the two characters apart despite repeated requests from DC to “just put them both together since they’re both connected.” Johnson acknowledged that these requests were frequently made. Before a crossover took place, he thought, “[they] needed to honor Shazam and [Black Adam’s] origin story”:
So that’s when I said ‘you can’t do it like this, we have to honor Shazam and his origin story, that needs to be its own movie. Respectfully, Black Adam needs to have its own film. You can do this when you build them up.”
Will there be a Black Adam/Big-Screen Shazam crossover?
Given their respective backstories, Shazam and Black Adam would have seemed like a perfect choice for a crossover on the big screen, but this hasn’t been the case and probably won’t be for some time.
The heroes played by Dwayne Johnson and Zachary Levi appear to have missed their greatest chance to square off. If it wasn’t intended to occur in Shazam! 2 or Black Adam, it probably won’t.
The destinies of both are currently in doubt as a result of the DCU changing course under the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran, making the concept of a super-powered crossover even more of a pipe dream.
Johnson has clearly finished the franchise (at least for the time being), and Levi’s future depends on “the success of the second movie.”
The Shazam actor may now be a part of the DC Universe, but his hopes of “punching the Rock [on film]” are probably in vain.