It’s officially happening folks. After a decade of starts and stops, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is actually going to suit up and become “Black Adam” for Warner Bros. And not only did the actor take the time to debut a new piece of art to celebrate the announcement that it’s actually happening, but he was kind enough to give us a release date.
On Instagram, Johnson released a new poster showing an image that hints at what the actor will look like in the black and gold armor of Black Adam in the “Shazam!” spin-off film. For those not familiar with the comic book character, Black Adam has the same basic powers as Shazam from the recent WB film, but he doesn’t have the same moral compass. He’s an ancient Egyptian ruler that made his debut as a villain that challenged the Shazam family but has recently been seen as more of an anti-hero.
And with the success of last year’s “Venom,” it’s clear that audiences are more than willing to show their support for a quality anti-hero that isn’t as goody-two-shoes as their more colorful counterparts.
Johnson also announced that “Black Adam” would be released on December 22, 2021. Now, if that date sounds crowded, it should. That’s just five days after the release of James Cameron’s first “Avatar” sequel. Now, perhaps even more interesting, it’s also the same release date as “Wicked,” “Hotel Transylvania 4,” and “Sherlock Holmes 3.” The latter of which is actually set to be released by WB, as well. Obviously, the studio isn’t going to release two films at the same exact time, so it stands to reason that ‘Holmes’ might be getting a new date soon.
Here’s what Johnson wrote on Instagram:
“Like most kids growing up, I dreamed about being a superhero. Having cool superpowers, fighting for what’s right and always protecting the people. It all changed for me, when I was 10yrs old and was first introduced to the greatest superhero of all time – SUPERMAN. As a kid, Superman was the hero I always wanted to be. But, a few years into my fantasy, I realized that Superman was the hero, I could never be. I was too rebellious. Too rambunctious. Too resistant to convention and authority. Despite my troubles, I was still a good kid with a good heart – I just liked to do things my way.
“Now, years later as a man, with the same DNA I had as a kid – my superhero dreams have come true. I’m honored to join the iconic #DCUniverse and it’s a true pleasure to become, BLACK ADAM. BLACK ADAM is blessed by magic with the powers equal to SUPERMAN, but the difference is he doesn’t toe the mark or walk the line. He’s a rebellious, one of a kind superhero, who’ll always do what’s right for the people – but he does it his way.Truth and justice – the BLACK ADAM way.
“This role is unlike any other I’ve ever played in my career and I’m grateful to the bone we’ll all go on this journey together.”
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