Warner Bros. is busy getting some new superhero-based content on the air. The company recently announced a slew of new animated and live action projects, one of which happens to be a live action take on DC Comics’ Static Shock. The show is moving forward, and this weekend Static Shock may have found a lead in none other than Jaden Smith.
Smith is reportedly being looked at to play Static Shock lead Virgil Hawkins, a teenaged boy and self-professed geek with a love for video games. He also just so happens to have electromagnetic powers that come in handy when taking on criminals. Static Shock has been made into a series before, via an animated show that was created in New Zealand and aired more recently in the US on Disney XD. Obviously, a live action show would rely more on a bigger lead than a non-animated program and Smith sounds like he would be a good fit for the gig. Here's a look at the character inspiring the series.
The report comes from Flickering Myth, who notes that Smith’s involvement in a DC Comics series would not be all that far-fetched. Currently, his famous mother, Jada Pinkett Smith, is working with Warner Bros. as part of the FX series Gotham. His famous father, Will Smith, has also been listed in the names of actors rumored for DC’s Suicide Squad movie. Maybe DC Comics projects will just run in the family from here on out.
We first heard about the Static Shock remake a few days ago. At the time, we also found out Static Shock will be a digital series and will be produced by The Boondocks and Django Unchained producer Reginald Hudlin, although other details have yet to break.
Jaden Smith has mostly been a feature guy, appearing in The Day The Earth Stood Still remake in 2008, and starring in The Karate Kid remake and After Earth. The latter didn’t exactly help to boost his box office potential, and since then he hasn’t appeared in any large films, although this summer he did sign on for The Karate Kid 2.
Obviously, we are a step or two away from Jaden Smith actually deciding Static Shock is his next big career move, but obviously the 16-year-old is the right age to take on the role and could be a good fit if he's willing to lead a TV series. We’ll let you know as soon as Virgil Hawkins is cast.
