It took years for it to happen, but Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam finally soared onto the big screen in 2022. Unfortunately, for the star and the studio behind the superhero flick, the production didn’t hit as hard with audiences as hoped for. The film ultimately lost money at the box office, and Johnson’s plans to expand on his character’s corner of the DC Extended Universe were essentially shuttered. Nearly a year later, the megastar is reflecting on the discarded plans for his franchise. And it would seem that he views the situations as “one of the biggest mysteries” he’s come across professionally.
The Rock opened up about the DCEU installment’s performance during the season finale of Kevin Hart’s Hart to Heart. Amid the interview, the 51-year-old actor-turned-wrestler got candid about his turn as Teth-Adam and his previous intentions to do more with the classic comic book character. While reflecting on what might’ve impacted the potential film series’ success, the A-lister referred to the corporate side of the business. He specifically cited Warner Bros.’ DC Comics entertainment branch, which was going through a number of changes amid the movie’s release:
Black Adam got caught in a vortex of new leadership. It was so many changes in leadership. Anytime you have a company, a publicly traded company, and you have all those changes in leadership, you have people coming in who, creatively and fiscally, are going to make decisions that you may not agree with.
Last year saw the formation of DC Studios, and writer/director/producer James Gunn was named co-president alongside fellow producer Peter Safran. The two eventually put their heads together to plot out a plan for the newly christened company. Gunn eventually revealed that a new continuity known as the DCU would be established. It’s since been confirmed that said franchise will kick off with Superman: Legacy – a film written and directed by Gunn – which is set to be released in 2025.
While the execs hoped to introduce a plethora of popular and niche characters into their cinematic universe, another Black Adam appearance doesn’t seem to be on the docket. Dwayne Johnson confirmed those plans when he issued a statement following a meeting with James Gunn. Johnson did mention, however, that there may be a chance that his antihero pops up in a future multiverse story of sorts down the line. But for now, he conveyed to his buddy Kevin Hart that he remains puzzled as to why Warner Bros. opted not to move forward with Teth-Adam's story arc:
That will always be one of the biggest mysteries. You have the biggest opening of your career. Sure, no China, which could’ve been maybe 100 or 200 million more dollars. You have a superhero and you want to grow out the franchise. You bring back Superman and Henry Cavill, which the world went crazy. And we created a diverse superhero portfolio, where we have just men and women of color in Black Adam.
He does make some valid points here, one of which is that the film did feature a diverse array of heroes in the Justice Society of America and the titular character. A number of fans were also excited over the return of Henry Cavill’s Superman. (Though his stint in the red and blue suit wouldn’t last long, as Cavill would formally exit the part due to the new DCU plans. )
Despite Dwayne Johnson’s arguments (and prior claims that the production wouldn’t lose money), the film did underperform at the box office, and critics weren’t high on the DCEU movie, either. With that information in mind, it’s hard to say for sure whether audiences will actually see Johnson reprise the role down the line. You can’t help but wonder if that notion is as big a mystery to the general public as the movie’s underperformance and scrapped sequel plans are to Johnson.
If you’ve yet to see Black Adam or simply want to revisit the film, you can stream it using a Max subscription. Fans can also keep tabs on more recent comic book-related fare by checking out the schedule of upcoming superhero movies.
