Black Adam Star Aldis Hodge Calls Hawkman Casting Like "Winning the Lottery"

When Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson called actor Aldis Hodge to tell him that he'd been cast in the role of Hawkman for the upcoming film, Johnson said that the 34-year-old actor didn't believe him, at all. Though it eventually became clear to him that it was in fact Johnson and he was in fact Hawkman, Hodge says in a new interview that this moment for him was a life-changing one that was years in the making. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter Hodge opened up about the years he's spent hoping to get put in the position to receive that phone call, saying it had a specific feeling for him.

"When he said, 'Welcome to Black Adam,' it was literally like what I imagined winning the lottery to feel like," Hodge said. "I had been very, very much looking forward to being a part of any kind of superhero universe. I didn't care what it was for such a long time just because I had been such a fan. I grew up on graphic novels. I got into the business so I could earn money to buy Batman toys, you know? But as far as my pursuit of this kind of vehicle — for no particular character, but just any foot in the door — it had been many years. It was like 13 to 15 years of constantly going up to bat and getting told no.... So it really was a validation of those last few years of pursuit, hustle and preparation. And for me, it was a real moment of disbelief."

Hodge went on to talk about his research for playing the character, which he previously teased in an instagram post. He adds, "As a fan, a comic book fan and a superhero fan, I love Hawkman's nature. He's an absolute warrior. He is a savage, and a savage for the best reason. He's well-intentioned. But the thing that I love about him so much and that I connect to personally is his understanding and love of trying to get history right. It comes down to the cerebral part of it. He's a professor, and because he lives so many lives, he understands; he was there. He is history. And when it comes to certain things in textbooks, he wants to get it right."

In addition to Hodge and Johnson, Black Adam will star Sarah Shahi and Noah Centineo, and will be directed by Jungle Cruise's Jaume Collet-Serra. Other as-yet cast roles include DC superheroes Cyclone and Doctor Fate. The film was recently taken off of Warner Bros. officially release calendar but production is still scheduled to take place next year.