Warning: SPOILERS for Black Adam are in play. Consider this friendly warning as your cue to avoid anything you haven’t experienced for yourself.
After two weekends, Black Adam has seen audiences partaking in its charms as they would any other new movie release from the world of comic books. Dwayne Johnson’s anti-heroic throwdown has inspired its fair share of takes involving the aftermath of his latest collaboration with director Jaume Collet-Serra, with no signs of slowing just yet.
With everything the latest entry in the DC movies line has to offer, there’s one aspect I’m excited to continue discussing. Specifically, I’m really pumped after the film’s introduction of the Justice Society of America; and not just because of the fact that Black Adam cast Pierce Brosnan as the latest James Bond to join their comic media family.
Obviously there’s going to be some deeper talk as to what happens in the movie, so spoilers are in play. You’ll probably want to read our official Black Adam review should you want to learn more without spoilage. This is the last call for all who need to see this DC Comics adventure without anything being ruined, as I’m about to share my excitement for what looks like the next exciting batch of heroes in this ever-changing cinematic universe.
The Justice Society Of America Stole The Show In Black Adam
Black Adam was supposed to be Dwayne Johnson’s glorious introduction into the DC Universe, complete with a change in the hierarchy of power. Depending on who you talk to, that statement is either absolutely true or a meme-worthy punchline. Meanwhile, something that seems pretty easy to acknowledge is that the Justice Society of America, warts and all, kind of stole the show.
Introducing Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) to the big screen, the quartet of DC heroes proved to have amazing chemistry when trying to save the world. Providing some of the best moments of humor and heroism in a kind of jumbled movie, the Justice Society of America’s storyline felt more rewarding than that of Black Adam’s long-awaited protagonist.
DC’s Super Team Already Feel Like They Belong In Their Own Movie
Introducing a group of heroes outside of their own solo franchises can sometimes feel like there are some missing pieces needed to truly enjoy the characters on hand. Black Adam doesn’t seem to succumb to that pitfall with the Justice Society of America thanks to their colorful array of personalities.
Though they’re already a unit formed before the events we see take place on screen, it already feels like these heroes should continue to appear alongside each other in future movies. Building off the chemistry that’s present with the Justice Society, Black Adam introduces new characters that already know each other in a way that doesn’t alienate the audience.
You don’t need to know the exact reason why Hawkman has some minor problems with Atom Smasher’s youthful inexperience. Aldis Hodge’s recurring gag of needing five minutes with Noah Centineo after the world has been saved is all that’s required to provide the appropriate amount of character shorthand. Building that sort of excitement off of what Pierce Brosnan counts as “three good beats” in a Dwayne Johnson movie is a form of magic on its own.
Potential Solo Adventures Could Lead To More Appearances Of Fan Favorites
Future solo appearances by the Justice Society of America’s membership are also something to look forward to. With the potential for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Films leadership to shake things up from this point forward, some lesser-seen heroes that have been introduced might be new prospects for ongoing franchises. The world knows it can’t all rest on the back of Henry Cavill’s return to Superman.
Black Adam has unintentionally handed the new DC Films bigwigs a gift with these characters. With Pierce Brosnan’s Doctor Fate being as charming as he is, seeing a throwback movie that details how he became Hawkman’s mentor would be an exciting ride. Also, a lighthearted Shazam!-style adventure between Albert Rothstein’s Atom Smasher and his uncle who previously held the mantle feels like a terrific way forward for a character we’ve just started to get to know.
The Justice Society Would Make For Some Amazing Potential Crossovers
Cinematic universes tend to go big when it comes to planning the next couple of moves. Kevin Feige and the folks at Marvel Studios helped start that practice with Phase 1’s roadmap to The Avengers, and it almost seems unavoidable that DC Comics would want to try to work towards making that sort of thing happen again.
If the Justice Society of America takes off, those heroes could become future playmates with whatever incarnation of the Justice League crops up in the future. Flipping back to Henry Cavill’s Superman, Black Adam’s new kids on the block just might need to team up with the Last Son of Krypton in order to put Dwayne Johnson’s anti-hero back in his place.
Conversely, Black Adam himself might potentially want to enlist his former antagonists in saving Kahndaq from something that requires leaving the island. When you introduce characters as exciting to pair up as Cyclone and Atom Smasher, the potential throughout the DC Universe for even more adventures of excitement only grows.
For the moment, the future of the Justice Society of America is in the air. Depending on how Black Adam ultimately performs, and how fans latch onto these characters, anything is possible. Those parties who are curious about where things are going will have to wait and see what happens.
However, if you want to see where the DCEU has come from, an HBO Max subscription is all that’s required to flash back to the adventures that started it all. And, of course, if you’re inspired to take another spin with Dwayne Johnson’s Man in Black, Black Adam is still showing in theaters.
