Due to hit theaters on July 29th, Black Adam is bringing the complicated antihero to life on the big screen for the first time. Starring, and produced by, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson the project has been in development since 2007 and has changed directions in the intervening years. Initially, Johnson was approached to play Captain Marvel, before the rebrand to Shazam occurred but became interested in the antagonist character of Black Adam in the development stages.
Now, with early looks showing audiences a glimpse of the destructive rage that inhabits the character, the tragic circumstances that birthed him, and the JSA trying to recruit him, Black Adam is shaping up to be more than your average one-note action character for Johnson. Looking at his filmography and career so far, is Johnson up for the challenge?
Johnson has been a showman and in the spotlight since an early age. With both a father and grandfather in the wrestling industry and a stature that set him apart from other students, he's always stood out. Initially seemingly destined for a career in football, Dwayne ended up following his family and began a career in pro wrestling. His star rose quickly, and soon enough he was taking on acting roles. From That 70s Show, where he appeared playing his own dad, he was soon starring in Hollywood Blockbuster The Scorpion King.
It's easy to see why Johnson has become the star that he has. From the get-go, his dedication and talent were clear to everyone, even if his initial outing as The Scorpion King was a little underwhelming. Despite the lukewarm reception and less than stellar CGI, Johnson stood out in his role as Mathayus, a man seeking vengeance for the death of his family and the destruction of his tribe. Looking back at his first major role, there are more than a few similarities between Mathayus and the character of Black Adam.
In the upcoming adaptation, Johnson is playing Teth-Adam, the original man imbued with the power of the wizard Shazam and chosen to be his champion. It's currently unclear the exact origin audiences will see for Black Adam, from the glimpses revealed it looks like he could potentially be a slave in Ancient Egypt endowed with his powers. No matter the exact origin the outcome is the same, after being granted the powers by Shazam the powers corrupt him, and he strives for domination and his own form of justice. From the trailer, there are some clues that there may be a slightly changed up origin.
In the most recent look that DC provided for their 2022 slate of films, a look at new footage of Black Adam surfaced. Not only did DC provide looks at the JSA in Atom Smasher, Cyclone, Hawkman, and Doctor Fate, there was also a peek at Black Adams' past. In part of the new footage, Teth-Adam is seen to be being restrained, as Black Adam in the future tells Hawkman "My son dreamt of a better world, that's why he saved me." It suggests that even though the powers of Shazam may have corrupted him, and he was imprisoned, his son believed Black Adam could be necessary to restore justice to the world.
With a now long and well-established movie career under his belt, Johnson has proven himself time and time again to be a versatile performer. While he is often cast as a (literally) big action star he has a varied array of roles and genre experience. He's done video game movies, horror, comedy, action, and he's even voicing Krypto the Superdog in the DC League of Super-Pets movie releasing in May. Johnson is a dedicated performer, he's shared his standard routine on social media, and it is intense and takes a lot of mental and physical energy. He gives his all to projects regardless of what they are. He isn't afraid to poke fun at himself, and he knows the way in which he has been stereotyped, always using it to his advantage and often finding ways to subvert it.
Johnson has been involved with Black Adam and Shazam! for more than a decade at this point. His production company, Seven Bucks Productions, has been part of the production of the movie as well as Johnson himself acting as producer. When he was first approached to play Captain Marvel/Shazam, he asked his fans who he should play: Shazam or Black Adam? The response was overwhelmingly Black Adam.
Since then the film has been a labor of love for Johnson. Through development Hell, scrapped character introductions, and pandemic delays, Johnson has championed bringing Black Adam to the silver screen. The character of Teth-Adam is complex, there is a lot to unpack with him. He struggles with power and doing the right thing, between what is right and what he thinks is right. There is no doubt that Johnson is more than capable of bringing Black Adam into the DCEU and making him a formidable force for heroes and villains alike to face.