Guardians of the Galaxy star Djimon Hounsou to play 3,000-year-old wizard in DC's upcoming film Shazam!

Djimon Hounsou, who essayed the role of Korath the Pursuer in the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy, has been cast in DC’s Shazam! , according to an Entertainment Weekly report.

Hounsou will be portraying the Wizard who has been defending Ancient Egypt from evil powers for more than 3000 years and is now looking for a successor. In the comics, the sorcerer passes his powers on to young Billy Batson. Played by Asher Angel in the film, Billy only needs to shout “Shazam” in order to become a superhero possessing an array of powers.

While the shooting for the film has already been wrapped up, the casting was not revealed until now, the Entertainment Weekly report said.

Previously, This Is Us actor Ron Cephas Jones was to be cast as the Wizard, however, Hounsou bagged the role following a scheduling conflict.

The mercenary in DC’s Guardians of the Galaxy will also be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe via the upcoming Captain Marvel film and will thus simultaneously essay prominent roles in movies of both comic universes. Hounsou has also played important roles in films like Amistad and Gladiator.

Shazam! also stars Zachary Levi as Shazam, Asher Angel as Billy along with Mark Strong, Grace Fulton and Jack Dylan Grazer.

Shazam! is scheduled to hit theatres on 5 April, 2019.