Black Adam Not Part of DC’s Next Chapter

While the star has connected with DC boss James Gunn, there are no current plans for the character in the studio’s next chapter.

Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Black Adam,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Frank Masi. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

He might have used it as an ongoing refrain when ‘Black Adam’ was on its way and in theaters, but the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe has not exactly changed in Dwayne Johnson’s favor.

The Rock hit social media to admit that: “James Gunn and I connected, and Black Adam will not be in their first chapter of storytelling. However, DC and Seven Bucks have agreed to continue exploring the most valuable ways Black Adam can be utilized in future DC multiverse chapters.”

Which is not to say that there will never be another ‘Black Adam’ movie, but it won’t happen any time soon.

For his part, Gunn commented, “Love @TheRock & I’m always excited to see what he & Seven Bucks do next. Can’t wait to collaborate soon.” Again, which might be a diplomatic way to say that Black Adam is effectively dead at DC for now.

It’s somewhat of a blow for Johnson, who had championed making ‘Black Adam’ for nearly two decades, only for it to somewhat underperform at the box office. There had been recent reports that the movie would be headed for profitability, but they appeared to be largely placed by the superstar’s production company and new reporting from The Hollywood Reporter casts a less favorable light on the financials.

Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Black Adam,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Though the movie apparently had a $190 million budget, that ballooned to $260 million after test screenings generated 20 days of additional photography and tinkering (Johnson had mentioned reshoots back before the movie came out). That also included adding Henry Cavill in a late-hour end credits cameo as Superman, though we all know that he’s not going to be in the DCU going forward.

And with more than $100 million in promotional costs, a $391 million global haul does not a happy studio accounting department make.

Johnson had been talking up development of a ‘Black Adam’ sequel and potential sequel for Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman character, but all that seems unlikely, at least for the foreseeable future.

Proof, then, that there are some things even the Rock can’t shoulder.

But what of the other side of the ‘Shazam’ spectrum (since Black Adam was created as villain for that character)?

With Cavill out and Gal Gadot and other actors’ status in DC’s future in a state of limbo, fans reached out to ‘Shazam!’s Zachary Levi, worried that he’s similarly headed for the super-unemployment line, even though sequel ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ is headed to theaters on March 17th.

Levi replied in typically whimsical style that he’s all “Gucci” (see the tweet below) but of course a lot might ride on how ‘Fury of the Gods’ performs.

We’ll still have to wait for Gunn and co-chief Peter Safran to announce their plans (they have a multi-year idea in play), but for now, DC’s immediate future includes ‘Fury of the Gods’, ‘The Flash’ (even with its attendant issues) on June 16th, ‘Blue Beetle’ on August 18th and the ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ on December 25th.