One of the most common questions that celebrities get asked is which superhero they would like to play. Many have some kind of response relating to a character who inspired them in their youth or represents them and their culture. When Stranger Things’ Caleb McLaughlin was asked that question, he was quick to respond: Static Shock.
Although a live-action film adaptation of Static Shock was announced during the DC FanDome event in August 2020, there hasn’t been much news since. In fact, very little is known about the adaptation, except that it is being produced by Michael B. Jordan through his company Outlier Society. It was also later discovered (in March 2021) that Randy McKinnon (The Lost Boys, Grand Army, Notes from a Young Black Chef) would be the film’s writer.
Updates on the project have since slowed to an almost complete halt. Fans have been getting impatient, but those attached to the film have stepped in to tell fans to stop speculating about the status of the film. Static: Shadows of Dakota co-writer and artist Nikolas Draper-Ivey told fans, “Don’t worry about those articles and be patient. I will not elaborate on this further.”
Although not as stern as the writer, Jordan also took to social media to try and rid fans of their worries. He said that the film had “no real timelines” and “no real updates” but that those involved were “in the process of building [Static] out. And I can’t wait to have something more to tell you guys later.”
So we are all in the same boat, waiting for updates, or even just a release date so we will know when our misery will end. For now, all we can do is hope that production is still moving along, and that Caleb McLaughlin has a chance of being cast as Static Shock.
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Static Shock
Static Shock, also known as Virgil Ovid Hawkins. The character was created by Milestone Comics founders Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis and Derek T. Dingle, and unlike most comic book characters, his debut was in the very first issue of his publication, 1993’s Static #1. The character finds his origins as a “Bang Baby” or a sub-category of metahumans. His superpowers are electromagnetic and have been bestowed upon him after exposure to a radioactive chemical.
As far as superhero characters go, Static Shock has been quite successful, even having his animated series in the 2000s by the same name, which easily solidified his character as part of the DC Animated Universe. This was not his only animation appearance, as he featured injustice League Unlimited and Young Justice as well.
I’m not sure if it is intentional or not but I find it so interesting that Caleb McLaughlin has spent the last six years of his life in a role that is trying to protect his town and friends in Hawkins, and that it is his desired superhero role’s last name too. If intentional, well-played. If unintentional, what an awesome coincidence.
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Caleb McLaughlin
One of many breakout stars to come from the hit Netflix show Stranger Things, Caleb McLaughlin is most well-known for playing Lucas Sinclair since 2016, one of the core main characters and band of best friends. Thank goodness, he will star once again in the show’s fifth and final season. Very little is known about the fifth season, other than that it is going to end with a bang. Not even a release date has been shared for the project.
At the 2022 Heroes Comic-Con in Brussels, McLaughlin was talking about what kind of movie he would like to do now that Stranger Things is coming to a close, and he shared, “What other movie would I like… I want to do a superhero film. I’d love to play Static Shock honestly…I would want to do something like a superhero, or even something…it doesn’t matter. I’m really open to being any character. I feel like I can play anybody honestly. It really—I feel like how I pick my films is really what speaks to me. Also, I’m also developing other projects myself that will be coming out. Not soon, but soon. But yeah, it really doesn’t matter actually. It’s just whatever like project speaks to me and my creativity.”
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Tell us, could you see Caleb McLaughlin as Static Shock in the DCEU?
Stranger Things’ Caleb McLaughlin Would Love Play Static Shock In The DCEU Written by Megan Oosthuizen for Fortress of Solitude
