After adding both Hawkman and Atom Smasher to its cast of classic DC Comics characters, the Dwayne Johnson-led Black Adam is welcoming another lead star to its ranks. It’s a mysterious role that might shed a little bit of light about where the movie’s focus is ultimately going to end up.
Deadline reports that Chicago Fire’s Sarah Shahi has joined Black Adam’s cast in an undisclosed role that the trade describes as a teacher based out of the fictional country of Kahndaq — where Black Adam has, at times, been considered a hero and god in DC’s comics. Deadline also notes that Shahi’s character is a “freedom fighter” working as part of a resistance group within the country pushing back against some unknown oppressive force.
[referenced id=”1285251″ url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2020/08/black-adams-justice-society-is-revealed-at-dc-fandome/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/23/tnss83dljohp4gpabfjs-300×169.jpg” title=”Black Adam’s Justice Society Is Revealed at DC Fandome” excerpt=”While Batmen both new and old are making their way to future movies set in WB’s universe of loosely connected stories based on DC’s comics, another sort of dark, brooding figure is making his way to the big screen in the form of Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam.”]
There are a great number of characters within Black Adam’s orbit who Shahi could bring to the big screen, but the most obvious in this case would be the hero Adrianna Tomaz. In the comics, she comes to play a major role in Black Adam’s life as a person who shapes his views on how best to protect the people of Kahndaq. Though Tomaz is not the original woman Black Adam loved in his previous life as Teth-Adam in ancient Egypt, in time he seeks her hand in marriage and offers for her to join him in sharing in the power of the Egyptian gods. By taking the mystical Amulet of Isis and uttering the phrase “I am Isis,” Tomaz traditionally gains a number of magical powers associated with the Egyptian goddess and becomes a superhero in her own right.
The character was most notably brought to life in the ‘70s as Andrea Thomas in the live-action TV show The Secrets of Isis (part of The Shazam! Isis Hour). Isis also appeared in the animated Freedom Force as well as Smallville, and recently has been established as Zari Tomaz (played by Tala Ashe) on CW’s The Legends of Tomorrow.
Because the exact details of Black Adam’s plot haven’t been revealed, it’s just as possible that Shahi could end up playing another classic DC character set to appear in the films, like any one of the members of the Justice Society already announced. Just what Shahi’s character’s doing in Kahndaq, and what her connection is to Black Adam, are sure to be interesting details when Warner Bros. chooses to make them public in the months leading up to Black Adam’s premiere — whenever Warner Bros. actually decides to put the film back on its production slate.
[referenced id=”1516349″ url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2020/10/billy-crudup-is-in-talks-to-join-the-flash-movie-again/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/04/j8gebmm2oamak4lpxyfd-300×168.jpg” title=”Billy Crudup Is in Talks to Join the Flash Movie, Again” excerpt=”Billy Crudup, known for playing one of the bluest men in comic books, is in talks to join Ezra Miller’s The Flash. For a second time. Listen, it’s been a rough project.”]