Black Adam: Release date, cast, plot and everything you need to know
Long before Zachary Levi Shazam-ed all over our screens, DC and Warner Bros were planning a movie based on the superhero's arch=enemy, Black Adam.
Following Shazam!’s relative success, it looks like development of the spin-off is finally moving forward, with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson staying firmly attached to the project as the leading star. Solid as a rock, you might say.
The anti-hero was originally supposed to appear in director David F. Sandberg’s superhero feature, but the producers ultimately decided the character’s got enough backstory to warrant his own movie.
A smart move, particularly since the fans seem to enjoy the more lighthearted and fun Worlds of DC films like Aquaman and Wonder Woman. And with The Rock at the centre? The team behind the Black Adam movie are clearly making the right call.
Although there’s still some time before the film hits theatres, to keep on top of things we’ve put together a handy guide of everything you need to know before then.
Black Adam release date: When can we expect it?
With reports on Johnson’s involvement in the project dating as far back as 2014, it feels like a long time we’ve been waiting for this film to move forward.
Now the cogs are slowly starting to turn and the film is taking shape, our hopes are up… heck, we might even get to see it within the next couple of years.
Although there’s no official release date as of yet, the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star did suggest they’re aiming to start shooting at some point in the first half of 2020. If this happens, we can expect a release date around Spring 2021. We’ll keep you posted if and when this changes.
Black Adam cast: Who’s in it?
Dwayne Johnson, obvs. But are there any Hollywood heavyweights set to star alongside DC’s iconic antagonist? Nope, not yet – although behind the camera it’s a different story.
Recently, the movie has found a director in Jaume Collet-Serra, the man behind the House of Wax remake, as well as The Commuter, Run All Night, Non-Stop and Unknown, all starring Liam Neeson.
The filmmaker just finished helming Disney's Jungle Cruise, which also stars Johnson – hopefully their established synergy will benefit the movie when it comes to production.
Back in 2017, it was reported that Undateable creator Adam Sztykiel was set to pen the script, and he’s still attached to the film.
With a writer, director, production team and the leading star sorted, it’s surely only a matter of time before the ensemble cast takes shape. Stay tuned.
Black Adam plot: What’s it all about?
There’s no official synopsis, although we do know this character has close ties to Shazam! as the titular cape-wearer’s arch-nemesis. He even summons his powers in the same way as his enemy, by declaring the word “Shazam”.
Oh, and his powers are similar – he can fly, has super strength, he’s smart and he’s incredibly fast. Thanks to this, originally Black Adam was supposed to star in the 2019 film.
However, Hiram Garcia – president of Seven Bucks productions – explained why the two characters should have their own standalone films before coming face-to-face.
"So as we were developing an actual Black Adam and Shazam movie, we were just realising that both characters are so special that we didn't want to compromise either of them by cramming them both into the same movie," he said.
"So that's why we made the decision to let Shazam have his own standalone movie and kind of launch him properly, and then we'll do the same for Black Adam. And so that kind of really freed things up. It allowed us to develop the right version of both.”
Although some speculate whether Levi’s iteration of the superhero will show up to duke it out with Black Adam in the upcoming film, it sounds like they’re planning to give the pair their own space on the big screen to develop as characters (and potentially save the face-off for the Shazam! sequel).
With a rich history in the books, there’s plenty of source material for Collet-Serra and co. to draw upon. Perhaps we might find out about Adam’s tragic past in ancient Kahndaq, and how he went from being a ruthless supervillain to a life-saving anti-hero.
“I think when that kind of backstory about a man who's held down and he rises up out of that to become greater and then dealing with the conflict of pain of losing his family, it's dark, but it also adds to the gravity and adds to the weight of the story,” Johnson explained in a Q&A.
“So what does it mean for the movie? It means the movie's going to be fantastic and it means that it's going to be badass. And it means to me he's a hero."
Suitably vague, but it also gives us a slight insight into the direction The Rock’s looking to take with the character.
Black Adam trailer: When can we see it?
Not for a little while, folks. If production is on schedule for early 2020, then perhaps the trailer might follow the path set by Shazam! and drop at Comic-Con in the same year.
A post shared by Bryan Fiallos (@bryanzapp) on Jun 8, 2019 at 1:06pm PDT
While we wait for more news, jump aboard the hype train with the above fan-made imagining of what The Rock might look like as the titular anti-hero. Kneel before Black Adam!
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