Next week sees the DCEU undergo an overhaul as the “Black Adam” film adaptation arrives on screens everywhere.
The film’s star Dwayne Johnson has long been attached to the project, which was in development for almost a decade, and touted that with this film the “hierarchy of power in the DC Universe is about to change”.
This has suggested Johnson has been hoping for a showdown between the Superman and Black Adam characters who are of comparable power in the comics and have battled before in that format.
Asked if he’d like to see a “Black Adam vs. Superman” film, he tells Cinema Blend that’s basically the whole reason he’s done this:
“Absolutely. That is the whole point of this man … I have been saying for some time, there’s a new era in the DC Universe that’s about to begin. And what I meant by that was introducing a brand new character. It’s not a sequel, not an existing IP. It was…you know, Black Adam!”
Two years ago the world had no idea who he was. We did, but not, you know, the rest of the mass out there. Introducing the JSA, introducing that new era of the DC universe.”
Going further into that talk of a “new era in the DC Universe,” he says a big part of that is listening to fan feedback and course correcting where needed:
“What I really meant by, ‘This is a new era in the DC Universe,’ is listening to the fans. Listening to the fans. And doing our best to give the fans what they want.
And maybe, sometime down the road – and I went through this in pro wrestling – is you can’t always give them what you want. But you’ll always know that we’re listening.
And in this case, with what you and I are talking about, I have been listening and I’ve been wanting to address fans for years. Because I’ve been waiting for someone to step up and address the fans and say, ‘Hey, we hear you.’
So finally, after many months turned into many years, we ended up with what we ended up at. And the whole goal and intention now is to this new era, new time. Now let’s build out.”
In the film, the enthusiastic Johnson turns stoic to play Teth-Adam, a man granted powers, then locked away thousands of years ago. When he’s awoken again, the Justice Society of America – including Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) – is sent by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) to deal with him.
There has been talk that Henry Cavill’s Superman will appear in the film in some way, with Johnson himself a big reason for getting the “Man of Steel” star back in his blue tights. How truthful the talk is, we’ll find out next week when “Black Adam” hits theaters on October 21st.
