DC comic movies are back and better than ever. Coming off of the recent success of the Snyder Cut of Justice League, Warner Bros. has brought more good news to follow the next slate of comic book films: new castings. After troubling news of the cancellation of a few promising DC adaptations, it’s relieving to hear some good news about the projects still in the works. However, the castings aren’t just for one upcoming film but rather three. Black Adam, The Flash, and Shazam 2: Fury of the Gods all have already had big names attached but now more fan-favorite characters join the pantheon of heroes and villains.
First, we have the casting of the villain in the sequel to 2019’s electrifying Shazam. Zachary Levi and Asher Angel will reprise their role as Billy Batson/Shazam only to face off against the mysterious Hespera now set to be played by Dame Helen Mirren. Not much is known about the character as she is a new addition to the DC Villain line up making the casting all the more intriguing. Being a goddess of the art of acting Mirren will very likely bring the charm and gusto to rival the fury of the gods.
The Upcoming Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson led Black Adam already teased the arrival of the JSA (that’s Justice Society of America to non-nerds) but now the final casting has arrived from the ashes. The JSA has received their magical powerhouse in Dr. Fate now being played by 007 alum Pierce Brosnan. A quick rundown of the gold helmeted sorcerer, Kent Nelson is an archeologist that discovers the helmet of Nabu, a magical lord of order. With the helmet, Kent transforms into Dr. Fate, a hero of insurmountable magical abilities who is a founding member of the JSA. Brosnan will now join the likes of Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo, and Quintessa Swindell playing Hawkman, Atom Smasher, and Cyclone respectively in their efforts to thwart the tyrannical Black Adam.
Lastly, the much anticipated Andy Muschietti The Flash film recasts Henry Allen after a slew of rumors of the character being omitted from the movie. Ron Livingston of Office Space fame will now replace Billy Crudup as the father of the scarlet speedster. Crudup briefly appeared in both of Warner Bros. Justice League films but had to drop the role due to a scheduling conflict. With Livingston at the helm, Henry Allen can once again have the huge parental role in Ezra Miller’s timeline bending film which according to speculation should cover an alternate version of the fan-favorite Flashpoint arc. Henry Allen is framed for murder as his son Barry Allen/ The Flash seeks to become a forensic analyst to clear his name only to find that his superhero persona has much more to do with the alleged crime than he believed.
With comic book films returning to form since the start of the pandemic last year, it’s amazing to see that despite the dire circumstances creators take the time to cast brilliant performers in these pivotal roles. The inclusion of fan-favorite characters and new faces to the genre always fills the air with giddiness as comic fans and casuals alike can relish in the performances between the light and color shows. Black Adam is slated for an early June 2023 release with The Flash racing in November the same year. Shazam 2: Fury of the Gods is pegged for a summer 2023 release in June that year.
