Looks likeMorbiusisn’t the only arguably obscure comic book character getting their time in the spotlight. Granted, it isn’t anything new, and “obscure” really just means “not popular yet.” Iron Man wasn’t much of a household name before 2008. But now another lesser-known property is getting its time to shine, and it’s got the stars to back up that effort.
HBO Max’s upcomingWonder Twinsmovie, announced in February, has just found its 2 lead actors.Riverdalestar KJ Apa will take on the role of the brother Zan while the sister Jayna will be played by1883’s Isabel May. They’ll lead the film under the direction ofBlack Adamwriter Adam Sztykiel, whose comedy background probably bodes well for a film starring characters who debuted onSuper Friends.
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Apa is best known for his lead role as Archie onThe CW’s appropriately weirdRiverdale, where the New Zealand actor has kept the gig steadily since the series' premiere in 2017. Meanwhile, May has enjoyed a varied career, including a leading part on Netflix’sAlexa & Katiealong with a recurring role on CBS prequel seriesYoung Sheldon. The two are set to begin shootingWonder Twinsin Atlanta over the summer.
The Wonder Twins themselves first appeared inThe All-New Super Friends Hourin the late 70s, with an introduction in the DC comic books following after. This is similar to how Harley Quinn would eventually go on to join DC’s comics after initially showing up onBatman: The Animated Series. Notably, onThe All-New Super Friends Hour, Zan was voiced by prolific voice actor Michael Bell, whom many may know as the voice of Lawrence, robot butler toDr. Nefarious in theRatchet & Clankgames.
The Wonder Twins themselves boast powers of transformation, which they activate by touching their fists together and saying “Wonder Twin powers, activate!” Through these abilities, Jayna can shift into the form of whichever animal she chooses, while Zan can become water in any of its states. Suddenly, their introduction inSuper Friendsmakes a bit more sense. But apparently, some folks saw something in the characters. So now that slowly growing line of dominoes has led from “cute kids' show in 1978” to “multi-million dollarHBO Max live-action film” over the decades.
Naturally, the movie itself is billed as a comedy. So that should give an idea of what to expect when it finally premieres. But even then, it’s hard to have any concrete expectations when even the most serious and genuine takes on the characters have depicted them in purple spandex. That’s not even including their appearance onSmallville, which went about exactly like one would expect from a mid-2000s CW/WB angsty teen superhero series. But that just means it’ll be a surprise no matter what.
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