‘Black Adam 2’ Not Moving Forward as Part of New DC’s “First Chapter” (2024)
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The hierarchy of power did change at DC, just not in the way Dwayne Johnson intended it.
Black Adam, the DC superhero movie that Johnson starred in and produced, was to have launched a new franchise, but Johnson announced Tuesday that plans for a sequel were halted and will not be un-halted any time soon.
The move comes as new DC Studios bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran, installed just weeks after the Black Adam’s October release, reshape the entire DC slate, with projects such as Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel sequel and Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 3 falling by the wayside.
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“James Gunn and I connected, and Black Adamwill not be in their first chapter of storytelling,” Johnson wrote in a statement Tuesday. “However, DC and Seven Bucks have agreed to continue exploring the most valuable ways Black Adam can be utilized in future DC multiverse chapters.”
Gunn shared his own statement, writing, “Love @TheRock & I’m always excited to see what he & Seven Bucks do next. Can’t wait to collaborate soon.”
Adam, released Oct. 21, was a passion project for Johnson, who was attached to play the character for a good 15 years before it hit theaters. During that time, Johnson became one of the biggest actors in the world and in 2017 used his clout to convince Warner Bros. and New Line to develop a solo Black Adam film, rather than have the character introduced in Shazam!. (In the comics, Black Adam is a villain in Shazam’s rogues’ gallery.)
Ahead of the film’s release, Johnson touted plans to develop his own corner of the DC Universe centered on Black Adam characters such as the Justice Society of America, as well as a future Black Adam vs. Superman movie, a showdown teased in a post-credits scene that temporarily brought Henry Cavill back as Superman for the first time since Justice League (2017). In many promotional appearances, Johnson even used a phrase that became the movie’s unofficial tagline as he sought to raise his corner of the DC slate to prominence: “The hierarchy of power in the DC Universe is about to change.”
However, Adam disappointed at the box office with $391 million globally and earned poor reviews. That wouldn’t necessarily be a problem to launch a sequel if not for several factors. One, the movie was inordinately expensive. Greenlit at $190 million, the movie’s costs ballooned to the $260 million mark, according to sources, especially after a costly 20-day round of reshoots undertaken after a poor test screening. (That does not include marketing costs.)
The movie will not be profitable theatrically, as noted in a Dec. 5 Variety story, which then unleashed a tit-for-tat in the press over a more detailed accounting of the movie’s money-making, with rival Deadline singing a different tune two days later. Johnson weighed in himself on the movie’s profitability in a Twitter post, a very unusual step for an actor or producer to take. It also put the actor in a defensive crouch and still talking about a potential franchise regarding a movie whose future even then was very much in doubt.
In recent days, rumors swirled about a feud between Johnson and the studio. Reports surfaced that Johnson unfollowed Warner Bros. Discovery and Black Adam channels only to have Johnson come out and say he never followed them in the first place. Also, and conspicuously, Johnson had not publicly commented on the hiring of Gunn and Safran, with many observers pointing to underlying tension between the two camps.
However, in his Tuesday announcement, Johnson said there was no bad blood between them.
“James and I have known each other for years and have always rooted for each other to succeed,” Johnson wrote. “It’s no different now, and I will always root for DC (and Marvel) to win and WIN BIG.”
It all looked very different two months ago, when Johnson was feeling wistful at Black Adam’s New York premiere, where he told reporters about his first day in costume. Said the actor: “I just took a look in the mirror — it was a very humbling moment because I fought so hard for this movie, to get this movie made, and keep it on track. Fifteen long years, and here we are.”
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is opening up about why he thinks Warner Bros. and DC Studios ultimately decided not to move forward with Black Adam 2. The actor, who spent 15 years fighting to make the original superhero film, says a second installment was axed due to a "vortex of new leadership."
When Hart asked Johnson how he felt that the franchise was halted, the actor responded, “Black Adam got caught in a vortex of new leadership. And at that time, as we were creating Black Adam, developing it, shooting Black Adam … it was so many changes in leadership.
Add a Review. Large budgeted and badly disjointed, "Black Adam" belongs in the poor category with the likes of "Justice League" and "Superman vs Batman". The story is hackneyed, and the dialog is eye-rolling with terrible worn out humor. It feels like a bad imitation of better Marvel movies.
Shazam acknowledges that he is unsure if he is stronger than Black Adam, despite his confidence in his mortal form. Both Shazam and Black Adam possess the same strengths endowed by the Wizard and have never been able to triumph over each other.
Dwayne Johnson Says 'Black Adam' Did Not Get A Sequel Because Of “A Vortex Of New Leadership” At Warner Bros. & DC. “I think that Black Adam got caught in a vortex of new leadership,” Johnson answers, adding that it “got knocked down a bit” because of Covid-related stoppages.
The overblown action sequences, lack of a tight script, thin story, and poor character development meant that Black Adam was a disappointment for those excited to see the so-called shift in the hierarchy of the DCEU's power.
Despite Black Adam's challenge, Superman's Kryptonian physiology ultimately makes him stronger, as confirmed in the issue. Fans eagerly anticipate a future showdown between Superman and Black Adam, with potential for an epic battle in various mediums.
Black Adam and his group are eventually defeated when Superman receives support from the Legion of Super-Heroes and the Justice Society of America. On Black Adam's part, he was taken down by Jakeem Thunder and Johnny Thunderbolt.
Shazam is in a similar strength class as Superman, but he can also command lightning. Shazam's magical powers give him a clear advantage over Superman whenever they meet in battle. The two heroes have fought several times, and Shazam almost always takes the win unless outside forces are at play.
Hawkman lifting a car With the Nth metal of his suit, Carter Hall becames extremely strong, being able to send beings like Teth-Adam flying with just his fist and lift heavy objects with ease, as he demostrated when he threw a car at him or when he punched him against a building, as well as when he broke a pod from an ...
The leading theory for Black Adam's ban is the presence in the film of Pierce Brosnan as the heroic character Kent Nelson/Doctor Fate. Roughly two years ago, Brosnan posted a 19-year-old photo of his family posing with the Dalai Lama, while offering his congratulations to the spiritual leader on his 85th birthday.
Apocalypse outmatches Black Adam in strength and healing abilities in a head-to-head fight. Iron Man's intelligence and resourcefulness could outsmart Black Adam in battle. Carnage's god-like brutality could easily overpower Black Adam, making him the ultimate victor.
Black Adam would tear him apart. Thanos is Marvel powerful, but that's a far cry from DC powerful. Black Adam has him beaten in everything but intelligence, and Adam has a power for that one. Thanos's cosmic energies are his best bet, but Adam's speed and flight would let him stay out of their way.
Weaknesses. Magical Vulnerability: Only significant magic can affect him. Lightning: Lightning attacks that cause damage and can cause Black Adam to revert back to Theo Adam.
But he does have some theories about why his superhero character won't be included in the DC Universe (or phase one of it, at least). In his eyes, his movie got caught up in a “vortex of new leadership.” After all, Johnson claims that he crunched the numbers.
According to The Wrap, Shazam 2's mid-credits sequence sees Jennifer Holland's Emilia Harcourt and Steve Agee's John Economos recruiting Zachary Levi's titular hero to the Justice Society of America (JSA) because Johnson "nixed the use of Black Adam actors" in the sequel.
As far as strength is concerned, it's pretty much a wash. Earth's yellow sun gives Superman immense strength, while Black Adam's strength is, literally, a gift from the gods, specifically Amon. A street brawl between the two could go on for days with neither gaining the upper hand.
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