With Zachary Levi of Chuck already installed as the superpowered hero of Warner Bros’ 2019 movie Shazam!,” his nemesis, Doctor Sivana, is to be played by British actor Mark Strong, while Grace Fulton joins in an undisclosed capacity.
Strong is best known for his role in the Kingsman action thrillers.
Mark Strong has been cast as Doctor Sivana, the main villain, in the DC Extended Universe Shazam! Photo: DC Comics/AFP
With the lead character of DC Extended Universe’s Shazam! a teenage boy able to transform into a beefy, brainy Superman equivalent, once called Captain Marvel and now known as Shazam, crazed scientist Doctor Sivana is the villain most frequently cast in opposition.
Strong has shown himself adept at both serious and comic dramas, having appeared in Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy, The Imitation Game, Zero Dark Thirty and Syriana as well as Sherlock Holmes, Kick-Ass and The Brothers Grimsby in addition to the Kingsman films.
Zachary Levi, of Chuck, will play the lead in Shazam! Photo: DC Comics/AFP
In line with Shazam’s comic book history, the theatrical adaptation is expected to adopt a lighter tone than Superman stories have tended to, giving Warner Bros and DC Entertainment an outlet analogous to Marvel’s hit Guardians Of The Galaxy movies.
Actress Grace Fulton co-stars in Shazam. Her role is still unknown. Photo: AFP
While Strong is to grapple with Shazam in the character’s 2019 solo film and quite possibly any sequels or spin-offs that may arrive – Dwayne Johnson is to play another character with Shazam and Sivana connections, Black Adam, in a standalone movie and a Shazam sequel! – Grace Fulton’s role is not yet known.
With a recurring role in TV series Ghost Whisperer and then Revenge, Fulton has chalked up three feature film appearances to date the first in 2007 war veteran drama Badland, followed by 2017’s far better received family movie Painted Horses and then mid-year horror and box office smash Annabelle Creation.
David F. Sandberg is the director of both Annabelle Creation and Shazam!. – AFP/RelaxNews
