Excitement brews online over Pierce Brosnan playing Doctor Fate in The Rock’s Black Adam

The announcement of 007 himself, Pierce Brosnan, taking on the iconic, mysterious character Doctor Fate, has set the internet ablaze. Brosnan — last seen in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (where he was hilarious, by the way) — will star alongside Dwayne Johnson, who is portraying Shazam!’s rival enemy, Black Adam, for the titular film.

Dr. Fate has a huge presence in the DC universe, with the James Bond actor playing the Kent Nelson iteration, otherwise known as the “good Dr. Fate,” whose father is the famous archaeologist Sven Nelson.

Kent Nelson attains his power after awakening the ancient wizard Nabu — a billion-year-old eternal being and one of the Lords of Order — entombed in his father’s excavation site. Nabu trains Nelson in the dark arts, but most importantly, gifts him the power-wielding helmet of Doctor Fate.

Here’s a first look at what Pierce Brosnan might look like as the sorcerer, courtesy of artist ApexForm.

As a founding member of the Justice Society, Dr. Fate has a big imprint in the DC comics universe, as one of the oldest characters in the lexicon, having shown up in one form or another since 1940. You can read more about the history of this character in Looper. This will be Pierce Brosnan’s first foray into the superhero universe, coming on the heels of the Helen Mirren announcement as Hespera in the Shazam! sequel, Fury of the Gods.

Alongside Brosnan as Fate and Johnson in the eponymous role of Black Adam, the rest of the incredible cast includes Noah Centineo (Atom Smasher), Aldis Hodge (Hawkman), Quintessa Swindell (Cyclone), and Marwan Kenzari and Sarah in unnamed roles.

Although originally slated for a December 2021 release for Warner Bros., Black Adam has since been postponed due to the pandemic, and is expected to hit theaters next year (when hopefully theaters will be in full swing again), possibly as a summer 2022 release.

Dwayne Johnson also revealed that production is “approximately three weeks away from shooting,” which is exciting news for fans.

After having fun in the Mamma Mia! movies, looking dapper as Bond, and understatedly ruthless in the western, The Son (which I particularly enjoyed), Pierce Brosnan can now check off superhero on his stellar resume, with a fanbase that is thrilled by the news.

What do you think of the latest Black Adam casting news? Share your thoughts in the comments below!