While Warner Bros'. woes concerning its cinematic comic book universe are nothing new, perhaps no DC film has suffered more than Black Adam. Actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson first signed on to play the anti-hero with his own sense of justice back in 2007 and now, fifteen years later, the film will finally take to the big screen on October 21.
In addition to Johnson, Black Adam stars Noah Centineo as Atom-Smasher, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, and Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate, as well as part of the Justice Society of America (JSA).
In addition to DC releasing a series of Black Adam one-shot prequel comics leading up to the film's release, Warner Bros. Discovery released a new trailer for the long-awaited anti-hero flick, offering a new look at the project's action and direction.
Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam Footage Revealed
During Warner Bros. CinemaCon 2022 panel, Dwayne Johnson took the stage and revealed the trailer for his long-awaited upcoming film, Black Adam. This description of the trailer footage comes courtesy of The Ankler's Jeff Sneider, Fandango's Erik Davis, and Gizmondo's Germain Lussier.
In the footage, Johnson's Black Adam is shown as a slave while a voice-over states "I was a slave until I died. Then I was reborn as a god. I kneel before no one."
Meanwhile, audiences were treated to shots of him in action, taking down a helicopter, catching rockets, and firing lightning.
When the titular character is told that he "can be this world's destroyer, or its savior" and that "There are heroes and there are villains, and heroes don't kill people," his philosophy is more than clear when he responds with, "Well, I do."
The tone of the trailer has been described as dark and powerful with similarities to Marvel's Black Panther in terms of its look and speed; and just to drive the intensity home, it concludes with Black Adam catching a rocket with his bare hand, followed by an explosion.
How Will Black Adam Compare to Other Anti-Hero Films?
Even though Black Adam was seemingly trapped in cinema purgatory for more than a decade, Johnson has remained devoted to the project and its character, even as his own star power has grown.
While the trailer description confirmed that fans are in for a spectacle, Black Adam as a character and his views of heroism, vengeance, and justice have the potential for a unique and potentially deep discussion. Just how the film will approach these themes will be interesting to see.
Also, while Black Adam as an anti-hero stands apart from the rest of the current DCEU, Sony happens to be in the midst of its own chain of flicks in the genre. No doubt there will be plenty of comparisons made between Johnson's film and Sony's Venom, Morbius, and soon Kraven the Hunter.
The problem for Black Adam is that the future of the DCEU is currently in question following the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery and the current CEO's frustration with the direction of its DC properties.
Fans will have to wait and see whether Black Adam was worth the wait and if Warner Bros. Discovery has a place for the property beyond its Fall release.
Black Adam is set to release in theaters on October 21.
