With the DC Universe about to be rebooted again in the wake of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s upcoming slate of DC films, as well as The Flash‘s massive failure at the box office, Dwayne Johnson has spoken again about how his DC film Black Adam will not be getting a sequel due to what he said is a “vortex of new leadership” and how his vision for the anti-hero didn’t mesh with Gunn and Safran’s plans.
Joining his Jumangi: Welcome to the Jungle co-star Kevin Hart on his show Hart to Heart, Johnson was asked for his thoughts on Black Adam as this was a film Johnson had been chasing for several years prior to its production and had ambitious plans for in the future, going so far as to recruit Henry Cavill back into the role of Superman in a brief cameo that would have led to a showdown between Superman and Black Adam.
“I think that Black Adam got caught in a vortex of new leadership,” Johnson told Hart. “It was so many changes in leadership. Anytime you have a company, a publicly-traded company, and you have all those changes in leadership, you have people coming in who creatively, fiscally, are going to make decisions that you may not agree with, philosophically.”
Prior to Gunn and Safran being placed in charge of DC Studios, Walter Hamada was leading DC and charting the course for the franchise after 2017’s Justice League flopped at the box office and forced Warner Bros. to reexamine its future. Part of this plan involved Johnson’s Black Adam, though as Johnson revealed last year WB was “inexplicably and inexcusably” against bringing Cavill back as Superman as Johnson tried to have his own corner of the DC universe, even refusing to have his or any other characters from Black Adam be referenced or appear in Shazam! Fury of the Gods despite those two characters being inextricably linked.
Johnson did talk to Hart about Black Adam‘s box office numbers and how that was its own factor into the decision, saying “As business-minded people, you and I, who are always thinking ‘audience first,’ yes we look at and respect the bottom line economically, but also when you think about opportunity and creating opportunity and creating things that are fresh for our audience – which is our number one boss – when that wasn’t looked at through that lens, it makes things a little more challenging for guys like you and I.”
Despite not getting a sequel, Johnson has previously stated he’d be open to returning as Black Adam or any other DC character for James Gunn should he be asked, but given Gunn’s priority with Superman: Legacy and the other films and shows he’s developing for DC Studios, don’t expect Johnson to reprise the role anytime soon.
Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the ancient gods—and imprisoned just as quickly—Black Adam (Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.
Black Adam is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (Jungle Cruise) and sees Dwayne Johnson starring alongside Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate, Sarah Shahi as Adrianna, Marwan Kenzari as Ishmael, Bodhi Sabongui as Amon, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller and Henry Cavill as Superman.
Ricky Church – Follow me on Twitter for more movie news and nerd talk.
Originally published August 5, 2023. Updated August 6, 2023.
