The long-gestating Black Adam movie is set to introduce more characters to the DC Extended Universe than just Dwayne Johnson’s antihero, with the film also set to include a version of the Justice Society of America, including the iconic DC character Hawkman.
Back in September, it was announced that Aldis Hodge (The Invisible Man) will be taking on the role, and now during an interview with THR, the actor discussed his excitement about joining the world of superheroes, and how he learned that he’d landed the part when he received a call direct from Black Adam himself, The Rock.
“There was some part of my brain that said, ‘He’s calling to tell me that I didn’t get the job.’ So I was preparing for that while I was in a state of disbelief. And when he said, ‘Welcome to Black Adam,’ it was literally like what I imagined winning the lottery to feel like. I had been very, very much looking forward to being a part of any kind of superhero universe. I didn’t care what it was for such a long time just because I had been such a fan. I grew up on graphic novels. I got into the business so I could earn money to buy Batman toys, you know? It was like 13 to 15 years of constantly going up to bat and getting told no. So it really was a validation of those last few years of pursuit, hustle and preparation.”
“I love the fact that this is Hawkman,” he continued. “It is Carter Hall or Katar Hol. And his original state, the first version of him, is Prince Khufu. He’s Egyptian. He’s African. I love that I get to play somebody who has lineage to the motherland. It’s fantastic… As a fan, a comic book fan and a superhero fan, I love Hawkman’s nature. He’s an absolute warrior. He is a savage, and a savage for the best reason. He’s well-intentioned. But the thing that I love about him so much and that I connect to personally is his understanding and love of trying to get history right. It comes down to the cerebral part of it. He’s a professor, and because he lives so many lives, he understands; he was there. He is history.”
SEE ALSO: Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam was originally going to be the villain in Suicide Squad sequel
Black Adam is being directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (Jungle Cruise) and stars Dwayne Johnson in the title role alongside Noah Centineo (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before) as Atom Smasher, Aldis Hodge (The Invisible Man) as Hawkman, Sarah Shahi (Reverie) as Adrianna Tomaz and Djimon Hounsou (Shazam!) as The Wizard.
