Years after he wrapped up his run as 007, Pierce Brosnan makes his debut in the ever-expanding DC Comics Extended Universe. This time around, he’s traded in Aston Martins and futuristic spyware for a magical helmet as he plays Kent Nelson, a.k.a. Dr. Fate, a member of the Justice Society of America tasked with capturing Dwayne Johnson’s arrogant and badass Black Adam.
Of course, the mission is no easy feat. And while the anti-hero may be the focus of the movie here, Brosnan holds his own, nonetheless. That said, the way things ended for Dr. Fate in the film suggests that the veteran actor’s involvement may be one-time only. Or is it? Warning, there are some spoilers ahead.
Pierce Brosnan Was The Right Star To Play The Dr. Fate Because The Role Requires ‘Basically, A Legend’
When Johnson got Jaume Collet-Serra to direct Black Adam, he set about finding the right cast for the Justice Society. And when it came to Dr. Fate, he also knew he needed to pretty special actor to play the part. Otherwise, it just wouldn’t work. That’s when he turned to Brosnan.
“You need a special actor to play, basically, a legend,” Collet-Sera said. “Dr. Fate is a very powerful being, so you need someone like Pierce who can play powerful without it being overly done. He can do it in a very subtle way. I mean, he’s one of the coolest people in the world—he was James Bond! But as a person, he’s magnetic, so warm with such gravitas.”
And while Brosnan admits that he didn’t know anything about the character when he was offered the part, he just went for it. “I mean, the comic book world has always intrigued me…,” the actor remarked.
Once he dove into the character, Brosnan also became heavily involved with conceptualizing the character’s onscreen appearance, even using his own watch and ring for the film. He also worked on the design of Dr. Fate’s helmet.
“The helmet Jaume and I worked on together with the creative team,” he explained. I said I wanted something elegant and sleek and beautiful. An artifact that would sit on a pedestal in a palace somewhere in the world. So we did, we talked creatively about the helmet.”
What Happens To Doctor Fate In Black Adam?
Kent Nelson becomes one of the most formidable figures in the movie the moment he puts his helmet on. And for a time, it was hard to imagine that anything tragic would happen to him. But of course, something does.
With Black Adam in prison, Doctor Fate and the Justice Society had to battle with Sabbac (Marwan Kenzari) on their own. That said, Doctor Fate also wanted to protect Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), and Hawkwan (Aldis Hodge) from the bad guy, so he put a protective shield around them. That left him to fight Sabbac alone.
“I forsake my life for the life of my colleagues,” Brosnan explained.
His sacrifice also represents an important turning point in the story as it allowed Hawkman to live on, instead of dying in that battle as foreseen. “Dr. Fate turned that into a future where he died instead, sacrificed himself so Hawkman could live,” Collet-Serra confirmed.
“He potentially could have beaten Sabbac. But in that present prophecy, that would have meant that somehow Hawkman would have died. That's what he's trying to prevent.”
Will Pierce Brosnan Still Return To The DCEU After His Tragic Black Adam Ending?
At the end of the movie, Brosnan’s Kent Nelson is presumed dead but then Collet-Sera has said that the character is “a bit like Obi-Wan Kenobi who dies in the first Star Wars and yet appears in every Star Wars.” He added, “So we’ll all see what happens.”
Brosnan also revealed that his conversations with producer Beau Flynn seem to hint that “not everything is at seems.” “So I think the door is open,” the actor said. “I honestly have no idea where this will go. I just know I'm very proud of the work playing Dr. Fate and honored being part of the DC comic book world.”
At the same time, it is also possible for the DCEU to bring Brosnan back should they be interested in doing a film or series on the beginnings of the Justice Society. In that case, the former 007 is on board too.
“Yes, of course. They’ve already had discussions with me about Dr. Fate. But I think we should ... let’s not count our chickens before they’re hatched,” Brosnan remarked.
“I’ve been to this well before, and I think the movie is spectacular. I think you get big bang for your bucks. For the people who love these movies, I think they will be absolutely enthralled and delighted. It’s good entertainment.”
Finally, Johnson himself did (sort of) promise that Brosnan is returning to the DCEU in the future. In a tweet, the star wrote, “Dr Fate is one of my favorites too and you will see more of him. I promise.” The Rock is a man of his word.