Warning: SPOILERS for Black Adam are ahead!
After Black Adam’s main story concluded with Dwayne Johnson’s title character and the Justice Society vanquishing Sabacc, followed by Teth-Adam officially becoming Kahndaq’s protector, there was one additional treat to enjoy. Black Adam’s end-credits scene featured the return of Henry Cavill’s Superman, who paid a visit to the Man in Black on his home turf. However, supposedly there was a second end-credits scene shot for Black Adam that would have focused on the Justice Society of America’s spellcaster, Doctor Fate.
Black Adam viewers will recall that Pierce Brosnan’s Kent Nelson sacrificed his life to that Aldis Hodge’s Carter Hall, a.k.a. Hawkman, wouldn’t have to die (a moment reminiscent of what happened to Doctor Strange in Avengers: Infinity War). Carter later used Fate’s helmet to harness some of his teammate’s classic magic against Sabacc, but after the battle was over, the helmet disintegrated. The Direct reports that this second end-credits scene for Black Adam would have teased the return of Doctor Fate in the DC Extended Universe, with the helmet being shown in a sandy location during the daytime and being picked up by an unseen and unnamed individual. It’s unclear if the helmet disintegrating resulted in this quick sequence being cut, or if there was another reason why the Black Adam team decided not to include the scene in the final product.
Either way, Black Adam was clearly intending to tease that we haven’t seen the last of Doctor Fate, and just because this end-credits scene was taken out doesn’t mean this is no longer the case. Dwayne Johnson said on Twitter that we will see more of Doctor Fate, though that doesn’t necessarily mean that Pierce Brosnan will return. Yes, resurrections happen frequently in superhero stories, so there’s always the possibility that the DCEU’s Kent Nelson could return to the land of the living. On the other hand, many other people have held the Doctor Fate mantle over the years, including Hector Hall and, most recently in the main DC Comics continuity, Khalid Nassour.
Although four upcoming DC movies are slated for 2023, and development for a Black Adam sequel has already begun, there’s no word yet on what the Justice Society’s future in the DCEU looks like. If/when the superhero team returns though, it’s a good bet Doctor Fate will be back in action, and while having someone new as Doctor Fate could help shake things up, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t want to see more of Pierce Brosnan. The only way we could know the answer to this mystery now is by peering into the future with Fate’s helmet… but since that’s not possible, you’ll just have to keep your eyes peeled on CinemaBlend for when that information does arrive.
Black Adam is still playing in theaters, and while the home release is presumably a few months out, fingers crossed that this deleted end-credits scene is included with the other bonus features. Don’t forget to see what other new movie releases are arriving in 2022’s final months.
