With the streak of bad luck continuing even after the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery, the DC universe seems to be misfiring when it comes to bringing the line of superheroes they have in their arsenal to the big screen. The wild Ezra Miller, cast back in 2014 as the title character inThe Flash, seems to have suddenly drummed up thisillusion that they are a messiahand will bring an indigenous revolution to the real world. Not only that, but in the search for a highly coveted producer that could make the DC Extended Universe 10-year plan a reality (sparring with the likes of Kevin Fiege over at Marvel Studios), it seems like Dan Lin, who produced theITseries and both of the newestGodzillafilms, has ultimately declined against taking the position.
As for the time being, super fans of the DCEU still have many singular movies to look forward to in the future. On December 21st, 2022,Shazam: Fury of the Godswill be thundering into theaters. A little more than a year later, on August 23rd, 2023, theunderratedBlue Beetlewill have his big screen debut. And after that, Joaquin Phoenix returns in the long-awaited Joker sequel,Joker: Folie a Deux. Let us not forget about the DC movie that is right around the corner, though,Black Adam.
A Tough Challenge Even For a God
Showcasing a tremendous cast that includes the likes of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the main protagonist, Pierce Brosnan, who is stepping into the shoes of the unflinching Doctor Fate, Aldis Hodge as the tenacious Hawkman (who is also the leader of the Justice Society of America) and Quintessa Swindell as theextremely intelligent Cyclone, the only question remaining that left fans of the superhero genre scratching their heads for the longest while was who the main villain was going to be since that one vital role was left out of all the initial announcements regarding the film.
Related:Jacob Lofland Joins Joker: Folie a Deux in Mystery Role
Well, that question was finally answered publicly on September 8th, 2022, when the red-horned demon,Sabbac,was revealed in the latestBlack Adamtrailer. He is being brought to life on screen by the intense, Dutch-born actor Marwan Kenzari.
From Mobster to a Monster
Confirmed by a description on the back of every box featuring theSabbac action figurein the newly introduced DC Multiverse line, Mr. Kenzari will be depicting the second iteration of the character, and he goes by the name of Ishmael Gregor. Having quite humble origins for a comic book villain, Ishmael was created in 2004 and introduced as your lowly everyday Russian gangster. After climbing the ranks and becoming a boss in his field, Mr. Gregor ends up moving to New York City, where he eventually makes plans to somehow attain even more power. After hearing story after story of the dominating prowess that the otherworldly Sabbac supposedly held, he and his goons finally find the original host in prison, Timothy Karnes. Not caring that he has to kill Mr. Karnes but also a bus full of innocents, Mr. Gregor uses a satanic ritual to transfer the demon’s powers from Mr. Karnes to himself.
Related:Black Adam Brawls with the Justice Society of America in Latest Footage
Both of these entities being a power source at one time or another for Sabbac in comic lore, it has yet to be seen if the theatrical version of the demon is either supernaturally charged by six symbolic demons or the seven deadly sins of man. Whichever is the case, Ishmael (now using the satanic powers of Sabbac, that is) has assorted superhuman abilities such as an overwhelming sense of speed, strength, stamina, and agility. Not stopping there, he can also throw out a thermal blast that can crumble entire buildings and heal much faster than human beings.
Big screen adaptations are never one to shy away from adding depth to a character’s history, and Sabbac is no exception. InBlack Adam, Ishmael Gregor will be the extremist leader of Intergang, a highly influential organized crime group who always seems to be hand in hand with not only the vile New Gods of Apokolips (particularly Darkseid) but also Lex Luthor over in Metropolis. Intergang is always interested in the latest technology and weaponry that can bring down even the world’sstrongest heroes.
Both forms of Black Adam’s main antagonist would make anyone freeze with fear. Dark forces of hell transform Mr. Gregor into a muscle-bound demon with terrifying new powers that rival those of Black Adam and all the members of the Justice Society of America combined. On the other hand, Mr. Gregor himself is the principal head of an establishment that seeks to actively dethrone those who wish to protect us by harnessing the power used on other planets.
With some very powerful and extraordinary DC characters colliding on screen for the first time in the soon-to-be-releasedBlack Adam, nobody should miss the spectacle of these titans fighting when the movie releases on October 21st, 2022.
