James Bond star Pierce Brosnan played Doctor Fate in 2022's Black Adam and was an undeniable highlight in a movie that failed to live up to its potential.
Had Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson got his way, perhaps we'd have eventually got a Doctor Fate movie. If nothing else, the character looks set to be a big part of the DCEU moving forward, especially with all signs pointing to the Justice Society of America taking the Justice League's place.
Black Adam was a critical and commercial flop, and despite Johnson's best efforts—he shared profit and loss sheets with Deadline and announced a Hawkman movie—Warner Bros. Discovery decided to move on without him.
With that, DC Studios was formed, and plans to pit Johnson's Black Adam against Henry Cavill's Superman were scrapped.
Talking to GQ, Brosnan was asked if his Black Adam experience now has him "banging down the door to work on, say, a Marvel movie." The screen icon replied, "No, I’m not. I’ve never banged down anyone’s door. I mean, they know where to find me."
"I’ve heard that Doctor Fate was going to have his own show, or his own movie," the actor said of scrapped plans for the hero in the DCEU. "I’ve heard that he’s going to be in the next Superman."
The next Superman? Brosnan isn't speaking in the past tense, and appears to be referring to 2027's Man of Tomorrow. Asked if he would be open to playing the character in the sequel, he replied, "I enjoyed that, the philosophy of that character, very much, and I would definitely be open to it."
It remains to be seen whether Doctor Fate does indeed make his official DCU debut in Man of Tomorrow, but it doesn't sound like the current plan is for Brosnan to play him, regardless. If Gunn does indeed have plans for Kent Nelson, then it seems we can expect the ranks of the Justice Gang to expand.
"I feel like not only my time as a heel in the ring in wrestling, but it was almost like the anti-hero that eventually the Rock became," Johnson recently said of his brief stint in the DCEU. "I loved making Black Adam. We had a great time. Loved creating those characters and introducing other characters, as well, in that universe."
"Had a great time," Johnson added. "Wish that universe well. And on to others."
Written and directed by James Gunn, Man of Tomorrow stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag, Sr.
Several actors and characters are rumoured to appear, including Aaron Pierre's John Stewart/Green Lantern and John Cena's Peacemaker.
Man of Tomorrow arrives in theaters on July 9, 2027.