Fanboys Anonymous

The Rock has been long rumored to be up for plenty of superhero roles over the past few years, but speculation ramped up more than ever before when the story was broken that he had been in talks with DC and Warner Bros.

Many fans assumed that this was a sign that he would be playing John Stewart and thus, the Green Lantern who would be featured in the upcoming Justice League film. However, out of all of the rumors that have been spread around, there is one that has survived the longest: The Rock would be in a Shazam film.

Dwayne Johnson has added more fuel to the fire by tweeting out this earlier today:

Someone's gonna get it.. pic.twitter.com/eH7GzWxx0u
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) July 24, 2014

Although this is not a confirmation by any means, it does seem to spell out that Johnson will portray either Black Adam or Captain Marvel (since, you know, Superman's already covered by Henry Cavill).

So who should he play? I submit that the choice is obvious and he should be Black Adam. Why? There are predominantly four reasons.

1. Resemblance

Name as many actors that look like they are a jacked up Egyptian similar to Black Adam. Now go ahead and name as many tall, muscular white guys that are out there. Which list is longer? The Rock.

2. Financial Options

If The Rock is the villain in the piece, he may not necessarily have to be in as many films. Whomever is cast as Billy Batson is likely going to be signed to a multi-picture deal so he can appear in Justice League or any number of sequels and spinoffs. If you can cast someone who is not as big of a name for Batson, you can get him much cheaper and save a lot of money in the long run.

3. It's Something Different

Johnson is charismatic and easy to like, which helps him pull off the heroic roles very well. But if you're a fan of professional wrestling like myself (insert shameless plug for Smark Out Moment), then you know that the birth of The Rock as a character came from his transition as a babyface (hero) to a heel (villain). He is just as talented at pulling off the evil asshole, which is not something that he does in his films that often. Having him portray the villain in this would help his career out so he isn't typecast as only being the titular semi-comedic hero in his future films.

4. Captain Marvel is Beneath Him

What? Blasphemy!! Captain Marvel is a classic character! Blah blah blah. The truth of the matter is that Captain Marvel is NOT a huge player for the mainstream audiences. If we are to assume that the Justice League film will have a heroic team that consists of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Cyborg, Aquaman, and Captain Marvel—with the possibility that the rumors are true and Martian Manhunter, Catwoman, and others can appear—then who do you think will get the bulk of the screen time? There is a pecking order, and there are clear and obvious tiers. Superman and Batman are on equal playing grounds, which is why they have a film dedicated to the two of them. Wonder Woman rounds out the trinity and is the female lead, which cannot be ignored. Green Lantern and The Flash are the next two members of the core five, with Cyborg, Aquaman, and Captain Marvel all taking a backseat. Think of it in comparison to Avengers, with Iron Man and Captain America filling in the Superman and Batman spots, Thor with Wonder Woman, Hulk and Black Widow with the amount of screen time as Flash and Green Lantern. Captain Marvel is, at best, at the same importance as Hawkeye was in the film. At worst, he would be in the position that Erik Selvig or Maria Hill has. The Rock is a much bigger star than this and there's no way that the film should be compromised by adding more Captain Marvel just to appease his contract.

Don't get me wrong—if Johnson ends up portraying Billy Batson, I won't necessarily be mad. DC can do far worse than casting him. However, I think it will be a mistake in the grand scheme of things. But that is only my opinion and this could all go the opposite route this weekend as more news breaks from San Diego Comic-Con 2014.