The actor, who played classic DC villain Thaal Sinestro in 'Green Lantern', may tackle another villainous role of Doctor Sivana, the arch-nemesis of Shazam.
- November 3, 2017
AceShowbiz -
Mark Strong may return to DC Universe. The "Sherlock Holmes" actor is currently in early talks to join "Shazam" as Thaddeus Sivana a.k.a Doctor Sivana, Shazam's longtime arch-enemy and most frequent foe, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Should the deal be sealed, it won't be the first time he plays for DC Films, for he has previously portrayed Thaal Sinestro, a classic DC villain, in "Green Lantern".
Sivana is depicted as a proficient scientist who wants to save his family from an unknown plight. When science fails him, he turns to magic. Later on, he finds a supposed tomb of Black Adam and when he attempts to open it, the scientist is half-blinded by magical lightning to the face, resulting in a side-effect that enables him to see magic. The character debuted alongside the hero in 1940's Whiz Comics No. 2. The mad scientist's bad deeds are often assisted by his family, which includes ex-wife Venus and children Magnificus, Beautia, Georgia and Thaddeus Jr.
Strong, who has played numerous villainous roles, will join Zachary Levi who is cast as the titular superhero. Variety has also confirmed that Grace Fulton, a recurring actress on ABC's "Revenge", is now in negotiations to join the cast. Details of her role are not known, but it is possible that she will play Mary Marvel, the twin sister of the hero. In this film, Fulton will once again work with David F. Sandberg, who previously directed her in "Annabelle: Creation".
The upcoming film follows a boy called Billy Batson, who can transform into an adult superhero by saying "Shazam!", which is an acronym of ancient gods and historical figures namely Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury, from which Batson derives his heroic attributes from when he's in adult form.
DC Films splits "Shazam" into two movies with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson playing another villain of the story, "Black Adam", in a standalone film. However, "Shazam" will be the next film on the studio's agenda that goes into production, ahead of "Flashpoint", "Batgirl" and the "Suicide Squad" sequel. The superhero film is planned to have a February start in Toronto for a likely 2019 release.
