Now, this information doesn’t come straight from Warner Bros. itself. But if this rumor is to be believed, Jaden Smith has nabbed the role of Static Shock. Actor Tyler James Williams (Walking Dead), sat down with Flicks And The City. He discussed how “there aren’t a lot of young, black superheroes.” The subject of Static Shock came up, courtesy of a few revelers on the sidelines.
Williams responded with a hint of a smile: “I don’t know … What you’re taking about. But yeah no, it’s great to see Static Shock is happening with Jaden.” Williams’ comments start at around the 1-minute mark in this video:
Williams is, of course, talking about Jaden Smith, whose father is currently filming the villainous role of Deadshot in Suicide Squad. Jaden is quite enamored of the DC universe. He dressed up as Albino Batman on more than one occasion. He seems like a good fit for Static in the live-action series, which is in early stages of development.
The superhero Static was conceived as a Milestone Comics character in 1993. DC picked up the character for a short-lived imprint, which ran from 2000-2004. Static was an average, inner-city teenager who gained electromagnetic powers after coming into contact with a mysterious gas. He also stood as the first teenage African-American superhero and a bit of an urban legend.
Here’s a clip from the Static Shock animated series, where Static uses his powers to help an ailing Superman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFGYxuyjgm8
(via ComicBook.com, DC Comics & Flicks And The City)
