The DC Extended Universe is a tricky place. The still developing shared universe attempted to compete with the behemoth MCU, and introduced a ton of characters in just a few films. But the DCEU has unfortunately had more losses than wins, with Wonder Woman currently providing the first and only critical hit. But there are still a ton of projects coming down the line, with some movies being developed, while projects like Aquaman and Shazam! move forward with filming. One long gestating movie has been Black Adam, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the title villain. Fans have been anxiously awaiting details about the upcoming blockbuster, and now Johnson has revealed that filming may start sooner than we thought. As he tells it,
The script came in, it's great, we're working on it. If things come together in the way we anticipate them coming together, that feels like a 2019 movie.
It look like Black Adam could start filming as soon as next year, which is a major revelation for the DCEU. So much of the shared universe's future is a mystery, so having another movie move forward so soon would certainly give the fans some relief. Johnson's comments to Yahoo certainly indicates that his DC movie is still happening, which is a cause to celebrate.
Given how Shazam! is moving forward at DC, it makes sense that the studio would bring The Rock's Black Adam into the narrative in the near future. Black Adam and Shazam often clash in the comics, with many fans out there hoping that Dwayne Johson debuts as the character in a Shazam! credits scene. With the hero established, the time has come to focus on the thunderous villain, who is sure to give the various heroes of the DCEU a run for their money.
The focus on more villain-centric stories also makes sense, given Lex Luthor's brief scene at the end of Justice League. After escaping from prison, Superman's arch nemesis hired Batman rogue Deathstroke to form a league of their own. While Lex has the various characters from Suicide Squad to possibly recruit, having a big gun like Black Adam would be a major step forward in his plan.
DC finishing the script and beginning to film Black Adam also makes sense business-wise. Dwayne Johnson has become an absolute force in the industry, producing and starring in an endless movies and TV shows. Johnson's movies always end up making a ton of money, so he's an extremely bankable star. If they can work around his schedule and get to filming next year, then DC may have the opportunity to make some serious cheddar.
Keep it with CinemaBlend for updates on Black Adam and all things DC. The next installment in the shared universe will be James Wan's Aquaman on December 21, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
