Shazam 2 Director Says Dwayne Johnson Stalked Him While Filming
That's the last guy you want stalking you.
When Shazam! Was released in 2019 expectations for the movie were lukewarm at best since Billy Batson isn’t one of DC’s best-known characters. But on the strength of Zachary Levi’s charismatic performance and the direction of David F. Sandberg, the heartfelt coming-of-age superhero story became a hit with fans and critics. Now, well into the production of its sequel, the director is sharing stories from the set. The most entertaining tale features Shazam’s comic book rival Black Adam who Dwayne Johnson brings to life on screen.
As part of his hilarious Instagram post series called, “True Tales from Shazam 2,” Sandberg insinuates that Dwayne Johnson was wearing elaborate disguises and leaving him mysterious notes while both movies were filming at the same time. The photo slides, which are essentially mini comic books animated by the director, hilariously detail the fictional behind-the-scenes stories. The cartoons of the Black Adam star cheekily acknowledge the not-entirely “chameleonic” screen persona the former WWE star has crafted during his acting career.
As such, Sandberg pencils himself having several encounters with Dwayne Johnson in not-so deceptive disguises. The action star is assumed to be slipping the director anonymous messages about the balance of power shifting in the DC Universe. These cryptic notes are signed only with his biceps measurements, adding to the amusing mystery. The director has previously released two similar animated posts about Shazam! Fury of the Gods. The first featured franchise newcomer Helen Mirren, with the second focusing on returning star Jack Dylan Glazer.
While it’s safe to assume that Sandberg’s cartoons are only in jest, noting specifically in the final frame he can’t be certain if he’s ever really met Dwayne Johnson, some fans are hoping that the post is confirmation of a Black Adam cameo in the Shazam! sequel. But unfortunately, it seems like the stories will remain split for now. “The original plan was to tell the two origin stories of Shazam and Black Adam in the same movie. That’s what we had worked on,” Johnson said during a recent press event via ComicBook. However, the actor felt like separating them would be best for the characters.
“The script was delivered. When we all read the script, I immediately felt like, ‘We have to separate these two movies. We have to honor Shazam! and that origin story and what that is and what that can be for the fans and then we also have to tell our story too,’” Dwayne Johnson explained. The biggest reason for splitting them up was because, except for hardcore comic book fans, the mainstream audience might not know who Black Adam is. “It was important to tell each story respectively,” the Jumanji star added.
Black Adam marks the first superhero venture for Dwayne Johnson who has been attached to play the anti-hero since 2014. Now, after countless production delays, the popular DC character is ready to make his feature debut this October. The film is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, from a script by Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani. Plot details are currently under wraps but according to a 2020 report by The Illuminerdi, Black Adam will tell the origin story of Teth-Adam, while bringing the Justice Society of America into the DC Extended Universe. Starring alongside Johnson is Noah Centineo, Aldis Hodge, Sarah Shahi, Quintessa Swindell, and Pierce Brosnan.
