When movie fans think of the DCEU, they think more often of Batman, Superman, and other members of the Justice League that have already received standalone films. There’s more to the DCEU than the Justice League, though, and 2019’s “Shazam!” was a preview of that broader canon. And thanks to DC FanDome, now we have our first look at Dwayne Johnson‘s “Black Adam.”
In the next couple of years, the DCEU plans to branch out even further. While Shazam fans will have to wait until 2023 for “Shazam!: Fury Of The Gods,” fans get to meet his nemesis next summer in “Black Adam.” The new film stars Johnson as Teth-Adam, an ancient warrior from the fictional country of Kahndaq who shares the same powers given to Shazam by the wizard of the same name. Plot details are slim at the moment, but given Black Adam’s backstory, expect a darker take on the Shazam superpowers.
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Black Adam’s origin story in the comics has evolved over the years. He’s been a power-hungry villain banished to another planet for thousands of years. However, he’s also been an amoral antihero determined to salvage his reputation with his superhero peers. In any case, the character is a departure from Johnson’s typically sunny personality and on-screen persona. So, expect a meaner Dwayne Johnson than the one seen in “Jungle Cruise,” the “Jumanji” films, or the upcoming “Red Notice.”
The film also introduces other Silver Age comics characters from the Justice Society of America, a superhero cohort similar to the Justice League. The elite criminal group Intergang will also appear in the film. New faces from the JSA include Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, and Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate.
Sarah Shahi, Marwan Kenzari, James Cusati-Moyer, and Bodhi Sabongui also star “Black Adam.” Uli Latukefu, who plays a teenage Johnson in the NBC show “Young Rock,” has also been cast in an undisclosed role.
Shazam and Black Adam are bound to clash on-screen, but it’s not likely to happen just yet. Perhaps in “Shazam!: Fury Of The Gods?” In any case, expect the newest addition in the DCEU to make a splash when he makes his big-screen debut on July 29, 2022, when “Black Adam” hits theaters. Check out the teaser below.