Black Adam: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Shares Photo From DC Training, Confirms Coming Production

By David Thompson Updated:
The Rock, Black Adam

DC fans welcomed in a new super-powered hero with the release of Shazam! in 2019. This is our first look at a character with similar strength and ability to Superman, but who happens to be a 12-year-old kid. This time, another Superman-like being is taking to the big screen, but he is no child.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson finally confirmed he will take on the supervillain role in October of 2019. He had been rumored to play the character for years, and while initial reports said Black Adam would appear in Shazam!, Warner Bros and DC decided Billy Batson's arch-nemesis deserved a film of his own.

Unfortunately, after initially being set to release on December 22, 2021, Black Adam's release date is now indefinitely delayed. The production of the film has also been delayed due to the world-wide pandemic, but now it looks like the wheels are finally starting to move again on this much-anticipated project.

NEWS

The Rock posted to Instagram to announce that he is back to training for Black Adam and that production is set to begin in the spring of next year. Once again, Johnson reminds that "The hierarchy of power in the DC UNIVERSE is about to change."

Phase 2.
Training for BLACK ADAM.
The hierarchy of power in the DC UNIVERSE is about to change.

Shout to my long time strength and conditioning coach Dave Rienzi for the ever evolving, strategic road map to success for this film and character.
Month by month, week by week, day by day.

277 lbs of mean and nasty.
#blackadam
#dcuniverse⚡️
Production kicks off spring 2021.

WHAT THIS MEANS

Simply, it is finally happening! This has been one the most teased, rumored, anticipated projects ever in the history of The Rock or DC Films. It is looking all the more likely that Black Adam will release in theaters sometime in late-2022, whether it will also premiere on HBO Max is yet to be determined.

This character entering the current DCEU has the potential to make a huge ripple effect across the universe. With Shazam! Fury Of The Gods currently set to release on November 4, 2022, many fans are speculating that this is where we see these two heavy-weights go mano-a-mano for the first time on screen. The question many are asking is, if he fights Shazam in that later film, who will Black Adam be battling in his own movie? Could we see more of an antihero version of this character, rather than a purely sinister one that is more comic book accurate?

As The Rock has one of the biggest personalities in Hollywood, we know this won't be the most serious film ever brought to the big screen. Many predict that the reason they're giving Black Adam his own film is that it is starring The Rock (of course) and that this will cover the DC character's origins. In the comics, his story begins in Eygpt during 1200 BC, so we could see thousands of years pass during this film that gives us a full scope of what this character is really about. This storyline could also benefit the filmmakers as they would have seemingly endless time periods to choose from.

Final thought: If Black Adam defeats Shazam, is Superman next on his list?

- About The Author: David Thompson
As an editor, writer, and podcast host, David is a key member of The Direct. He is an expert at covering topics like Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and business-related news following the box office and streaming.