The very notion of Dwayne Johnson hitting the gym extra hard to get into superhero shape is ridiculous, because even on his worst day the man is still an enormous human being. Of course, Henry Cavill has been known to put in the work when it comes to bulking up to play Superman, but even he can’t hold a candle to an absolute specimen like Johnson, while Zachary Levi better hope that Shazam! Fury of the Gods ends up adding some extra padding to his muscle suit in the event that Black Adam shows up for a cameo.
It doesn’t take a huge stretch of the imagination to imagine the former pro wrestler suiting up as a superhero, and there’s no doubt that the 48 year-old will be looking to deliver a movie that justifies why he’s been attached to the role of Black Adam for well over a decade at this point. After all, you don’t sign up the biggest movie star in the world to a shared universe of interconnected franchises without having very big plans in the future, and at the DC FanDome panel for Black Adam, Johnson sent out an ominous warning to the DCEU’s roster of heroes.
“Get a message out to some of the other ones. Some of the other DC superheroes. The Flash. Aquaman. Wonder Woman. Batman and Superman. Let them know something. Things will never be the same. Because the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe is about to change.”
Calling out some of the most iconic characters in comic book history is a brave move, but the Skyscraper star has never been shy in reminding us that the hierarchy of power is set to be altered dramatically, and in the same panel he also explained what makes Black Adam different from the rest of the DCEU’s marquee names.
“This is a character that will possess all the qualities that we have loved, regardless of what variation of Black Adam you’ve loved. He is ruthless. He’s a ruthless keeper of justice. He is the judge, the jury, and the executioner. And he believes in an eye for an eye, and he will always do everything he can to protect his people, more so protect his family.”
Of course, Johnson is no stranger to starring in effects-heavy blockbusters that involve him trying to save his family, but Black Adam will mark uncharted territory in terms of both making his superhero debut and playing a character that isn’t quite as one-dimensional on the page as many of his other roles have been.