The DC live-action universe has had an interesting life in theaters, full of highs and lows. While the first few movies stumbled and failed to resonate with audiences, Warner Bros. seems to have found its stride in recent years. There are some very exciting projects coming down the pipeline, including Dwayne Johnson's long gestating villain flick Black Adam. And it turns out that the actor/producer has been working on the blockbuster even longer than we thought.
Dwayne Johnson has been publicly attached to play Black Adam in the DCEU for a number of years. But he's also been busy with other projects, and wanted to let Shazam! stand on its own two feet before the iconic villain stepped on the scene. The Rock recently spoke about his relationship with the movie, saying:
Black Adam has been with me for over ten years now. That gives you an idea of how passionate I am about this project. How passionate our Seven Bucks is about this project. Warner Bros., New Line Cinemas, DC, they have been so incredibly supportive over the years. In 2008 was when we first started talking about this. So it has required patience by all of us as partners. And I’m a much different man and actor than I was ten years ago. Even then, ten years ago, I just wanted to wait for the timing to feel right. And it feels like now, the man that I’ve become, I’m able to bring a little bit of my own life lessons and philosophies and engrain them in the DNA of this character.
Wow. While DC fans have been patiently waiting for a few years to see Dwayne Johnson's live-action version of Black Adam, it turns out that he's been with the character even longer. It's been around 12 years since he's been attached to bring the villain to life, long before Man of Steel started up the DC Extended Universe.
While it's been a long wait, Dwayne Johnson actually believes now is the perfect time for him to finally play Black Adam in live-action. He's a better actor and man than he was a decade ago, and feels like his experience has prepared him to play such an iconic role. Black Adam has the potential to be Johnson's biggest movie yet, and he understands the responsibility that comes with adapting the comic book villain for the big screen.
You can watch Dwayne Johnson's Instagram video below, where he updates the public on the status of his various projects, including Black Adam.
Dwayne Johnson is one of the most hardworking people in the film world, producing and starring in multiple blockbusters every year. This insane schedule likely factored into the long wait for Black Adam to kick up, but it looks like that all happened for the best. Now is the perfect time for the villain to finally hit the big screen, before eventually battling Zachary Levi's Shazam in their highly anticipated crossover event.
Black Adam was set to start filming this summer, although that'll all depend on how the COVID-19 pandemic plays out. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
