We hoped that King Shark would be included in the new Suicide Squad film when it was first announced, and it appears that our prayers have been answered. This time, the filmmaker is James Gunn, and the Guardians of the Galaxy creator is making no effort to promote his new film.
The anticipation for this film is palpable, and the introduction of King Shark just adds to it. The insane but adorable fish villain is one of the show’s highlights, which comes as no surprise given that this is a director who enjoys bringing on charming, loveable, but fierce characters. You’ve probably seen Groot’s antics in Guardians of the Galaxy!
The general plot stays the same: a group of infamous villains must once again save the planet. They must heed commands or risk getting blown up because of their weird superpowers! Some of the main characters are expected to die in the film, according to rumours. While we won’t guess on who will be killed, the character of King Shark has piqued our interest! Let’s take a look back at this character’s past and learn more about this strange tropical threat in this video.
The Origin Story
You must have been perplexed as to how such a hulking shark humanoid came to be. To do so, you’ll have to delve deep into the DC comics vaults! There are numerous accounts of King Shark, but the finest one claims that his father was the Pacific’s shark God, Chondrakha, and his mother was a native human, which helps to explain his look.
While we are most familiar with him as a Great White Shark, he has also been shown as a Hammerhead Shark, albeit this is a less common form.
This villain was created by Karl Kesel and first appeared in Superboy comics as a creature called Nanaue. It was shown to be imprisoned in Hawaii, and a group of thugs freed him from the jail to use him in their plans.
However, this shark monster killed them all and went ahead to meet his mother. His mother had a rather strange affection towards him and even fed him her hand in the absence of any food.
What started as a cameo appearance soon turned into a regular feature in DC comics, and more and more aspects of King Shark were revealed with time. We get to know that he was imprisoned because it was thought that Nanaue was responsible for the strange disappearances and deaths in the region.
His family helped him to eat the kidnapped persons and Sam Makoa, Superboy’s would-be ally, was the one to put him in jail. Sam later revealed that bringing him in required a unique amount of luck in addition to the heavy weaponry.
However, there are a few additional intriguing ideas about his origins. One legend claims that he is a Wild Man from the Wild Lands, while some Aquaman comics narrative arcs say that this part-human, part-shark demigod fought in his father’s honour and even possessed some of his father’s abilities.
King Shark’s history with DC
King Shark first appeared in 1994 and was well-received by fans as a formidable opponent for Superboy. Later, he made many appearances on The Flash, as well as in the animated serials Harley Quinn and DC Super Hero Girls.
In fact, this character’s appeal stems in part from his appearances on a variety of platforms. He’s also a DLC character in DC Superheroes: Dawn of Injustice, and we’ll never forget his supernatural water blast at his foes.
You will also see him in the animated Batman: Arkham universe film titled Batman: Assault on Arkham, but this version shows him as a large human with some mutated features, including a metal mask that bolsters his biting ability.
He even appears in the animated film titled Justice League Dark: Apokolips War. In this case, he helps the Justice League as they try to defeat Darkseid. Another notable King Shark appearance was during the Joker’s Last Laugh riot with Orca.
Although he appears to be chattier at times, the stillness and grunts have remained with us. After all, we could be mesmerised by this character’s simple expressions and physical strength! To further flesh out the King Shark, DC gave him a child.
This child was his biological son, and he shared a combination of shark and human characteristics with him. Kid Shark was an unique aquatic creature that was briefly spotted in action and was given the moniker Kid Shark.
The Powers of King Shark
To be a well-known DC villain, he must possess specific abilities, and King Shark is a deadly foe. He was depicted as a colossal villain, standing over seven feet tall and muscly like the Hulk. He possessed razor-sharp teeth and claws capable of ripping his foes to shreds! He gets riled up by the smell of blood, and his relentless hunger sometimes gets the better of him.
As a demigod, he possessed superhuman strength and endurance. Despite the fact that he is in pain, he continues to battle. His regenerating skills were also astounding, and they assisted him in surviving after the explosive belt he was wearing detonated.
Another interesting power of the King Shark was his ability to use sonar detection that heightened his senses. King Shark could call out to his shark cousins, although he didn’t have the power to control them. It is no surprise that due to his shark nature, he was as effective underwater as he was on land!
How he was inducted into the Suicide Squad
As previously stated, King Shark became a recurring DC comics villain, and his time in Hawaii with Superboy cemented his authority. He was accepted into the Suicide Squad not long after! His superhuman strength and speed made him a valuable member of Task Force X, and he was outfitted with a bomb belt that would detonate if he attempted anything nefarious.
He was now compelled to work with the same individuals who had previously imprisoned him. He was, however, difficult to manage, and the squad had to put up with his tendency of consuming the less important members of the team.
Amanda Waller was keen to use his impressive powers while fighting the Silicon Dragons, and even his behavioral shortcomings didn’t stop her from recruiting him into the Suicide Squad. He proved to be pretty effective, and when Sidearm betrayed the squad, he killed him instantly.
In another instance, he took a bite out of his teammate Yo-Yo which thankfully didn’t kill him. He was a great asset to the team and remained one of the mainstay characters ever since they got him on board.
He attempted to flee on one occasion, and his explosive belt went off. But shark-demigods don’t just vanish like regular sharks, and he was soon back in action!
He was a constant member of The Secret Six, a strong group of villains, in addition to working with the Suicide Squad. They brought him on board to take advantage of his nasty attacks.
Why he is a Great White Shark in Suicide Squad
King Shark was considered for membership in the Suicide Squad when it was being developed in 2016. However, because a true visual portrayal of him would need a lot more CGI, filmmaker David Ayer decided to go with Killer Croc instead.
This time, James Gunn introduces the character, who is a Great White shark rather than a hammerhead. Later on, the director revealed that he contemplated making King Shark a hammerhead, but that it would have been extremely difficult to shoot the moments in which he was looking at other people.
The odd placement of the eyes would be pretty confusing as to where the other people would be placed. Changes from the comic books are somewhat daring because there are times when the fans don’t take it too well. However, with the craze for the upcoming movie, it is safe to say that the decision paid off!
Future Appearances
We can’t wait to see him on the big screen in The Suicide Squad, where he’ll be dressed in his classic Great White Shark look. Sylvester Stallone will play the character, and we already know that the huge, beefy King Shark will carry quite a punch with his comedic lines amidst all the action.
However, the movie is not the only platform where you will get to see him in action. The game titled Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is all set to release in 2022, and you will see him as one of the crucial characters in the game.
From what we have seen, this King Shark version will have him covered in tattoos and wearing a tank top splattered with blood. Clearly, the video game version will differ from the usual shirtless and slick visuals that we are used to. WWE star Samoa Joe will be the voice actor for the game, and we feel he would be the perfect fit for the rugged version of our villain!
This game will be a sequel to Batman: Arkham City, however it will not include Batman as the protagonist. You’ll be able to play as Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Harley Quinn, and King Shark instead! The Justice League is brainwashed after Brainiac invades Earth, according to the trailer.
The Suicide Squad must take on the troops of Brainiac and the mind-controlled superheroes as a government task group. We can’t wait to get our hands on this action-adventure shooter starring King Shark, one of our favourite characters.
Our Final Words
We all enjoy a zany character that provides a few laughs amid tense, action-packed scenes in movies. It doesn’t get much better than King Shark, a massive mutant with an insatiable appetite for blood. He doesn’t say much, but his strong bite does the most of the talking.
This shark-man keeps finding his way into trouble, and we think he is the perfect addition to the flawed but perfect team of Suicide Squad.
In the times to come, King Shark might just hold the same place that Groot enjoys in Marvel movies, and wouldn’t that be awesome!