Dwayne Johnson Black Adam

2022 - 10 - 22

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Image courtesy of "The West Australian"

The Rock is all power in superhero flick Black Adam (The West Australian)

Countless actors have played superheroes on screen over the years, but Dwayne Johnson possesses something very few of those performers did — a superhero's ...

“Doctor Fate is one of the oldest characters in the pantheon of DC Comics, and he’s a sorcerer, but, first and foremost, he’s a man, he’s Kent Nelson, an archaeologist, and his entry into this world came with a sacrifice and that was of his father’s death. “This is a man who sees the future, so he sees the death and the dying of people, and, when you have those kinds of secrets in your DNA as a character, then, as an actor, you can bring a subtext, which is very personal, so Doctor Fate is very close to me, I enjoyed playing him enormously.” “We wanted to usher in a new era in the DC universe, and what that meant was to introduce new characters, five new characters (of the Justice Society) to the world, which is not easy to do, but to do it, I think, with intrigue and interest, and also do it with respect to mythology for the DC fans.” “We all wanted to make a film that was different and unique in this world of the superhero genre that has been so wildly successful over the years, and has led our business for over a decade,” the 50-year-old says. Some actors transform with each role, and become almost unrecognisable in real life, but Johnson goes the other way, and has made a career out of bending characters to match his own personality. Speaking to PLAY over a video call with his Black Adam castmates, Johnson pauses while contemplating what other similarities he shares with the titular character of the new DC Comics blockbuster.

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Image courtesy of "Q13 FOX (Seattle)"

'Black Adam' review: The Rock goes bad — mostly for good (Q13 FOX (Seattle))

Black Adam lets Dwayne “The Rock“ Johnson make his long-awaited superhero debut in an action flick that reflects the scrappy spirit of the DCEU.

["The Toxic Avenger" is streaming free on Tubi ](https://tubitv.com/movies/655405/the-toxic-avenger?start=true?utm_medium=editorial&tum_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox)— [get the app](https://link.tubi.tv/Download) Dir: [Michael Herz](https://tubitv.com/search/person-michael-herz?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox) and [Lloyd Kaufman](https://tubitv.com/search/person-lloyd-kaufman?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox). ["The Toxic Avenger,"](https://tubitv.com/movies/655405/the-toxic-avenger?start=true?utm_medium=editorial&tum_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox) streaming free on Tubi [The Toxic Avenger](https://tubitv.com/movies/655405/the-toxic-avenger?start=true?utm_medium=editorial&tum_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox) (1984): This cult classic from the genre titans at Troma Entertainment follows a mild-mannered janitor ("98 lbs. Consumers can also watch Tubi content on the web at [http://www.tubi.tv/](http://www.tubi.tv/?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox). [Jaume Collet-Serra](https://tubitv.com/search/person-Jaume-Collet-Serra?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox). A member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, she spent four years lovingly analyzing the romantic comedy genre one film at a time in her column When Romance Met Comedy for The A.V. (A tightly contained bedroom fight is a highlight.) (There’s also some standard comic book movie hokum about a power-hungry baddie, which even the usually reliable [Marwan Kenzari](https://tubitv.com/search/person-Marwan-Kenzari?utm_medium=editorial&utm_source=fts&utm_campaign=fts_editorial_evergreen&utm_term=fox) can’t save.) [heavily edited](https://variety.com/2022/film/news/black-adam-r-rating-violent-kills-1235406123/) in order to avoid an R-rating, and the final product is deeply disjointed and tonally all over the place. Fate and ALDIS HODGE as Hawkman in New Line Cinema’s action adventure "BLACK ADAM," a Warner Bros. Does "Black Adam" eventually devolve into one of those weightless, CGI-heavy final battles? By design (although that doesn’t become clear until much later in the film), the origin story of Johnson’s all-powerful Teth-Adam is somewhat convoluted.

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Image courtesy of "INSIDER"

'Black Adam': 5 questions we have after seeing Dwayne Johnson ... (INSIDER)

Dwayne Johnson's "Black Adam" introduces a vicious new antihero to the DCEU, but the film also sets the stage for a few things further down the line.

Fury of the Gods," "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," or "Blue Beetle." and "Black Adam" seemingly take place in the present day, it's hard not to wonder whether they'll get into a fight at some point in the future. "Black Adam" is clearly playing fast and loose with that idea, because the Rock of Eternity hasn't been destroyed in the DCEU and it has already appeared in "Shazam!" Although Black Adam literally rips Sabbac and Ishmael in half at the end of the film, it's not impossible that Sabbac could return. Obviously, Kahndaq's protector isn't afraid of anyone on the planet, or anyone from any other planet for that matter. It's a sensible decision, though it only lasts mere hours, as he later breaks loose to fight Sabbac in the climax of the movie. wouldn't get him back onboard if they weren't going to make the most of it. He wore green robes and had big teeth, a big difference from the horned red demon in "Black Adam." While Black Adam and Shazam are two sides of the same coin, Sabacc is their darker counterpart. This means that Waller has plenty of other weapons of mass destruction locked up that she could use at any given moment. ["Black Adam,"](https://www.insider.com/dwayne-johnson-black-adam-ending-explained-2022-10) which sees Teth-Adam protect his country, Kahndaq, from a vicious military group called Intergang. Yes, it seems like every cinematic universe needs a rare metal/mineral from a far off country that bad guys want to get their hands on.

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Image courtesy of "Deadline"

'Black Adam' Zaps $7.6M In Thursday Night Previews (Deadline)

Dwayne Johnson movie Black Adam racked up $7.6 million in box office previews at 3500 locations Thursday,

That genre movie in its third week did $17.2M, good for a running total of $76M. In the new world order of box office at this stage of the pandemic, tentpoles have proved to be critic proof, i.e., Jurassic World Dominion wasn’t slowed by a 29% on Rotten Tomatoes and opened to $145M. The studio is hoping for around $12M. It made $1.02M on Thursday, and was beat by Paramount’s Smile which did $1.07M at 3,612. Audiences are starving, and hopefully for the sake of exhibition and Warner Bros, won’t scrutinize this new DC superhero too severely before making a decision to go to the movies this weekend. 1 movie of the week with Blumhouse/Miramax’s Halloween Ends, also available on Peacock, which did $46.1M at 3,901 theaters. [Dwayne Johnson](https://deadline.com/tag/dwayne-johnson/) movie [Black Adam](https://deadline.com/tag/black-adam/) racked up $7.6 million in previews at 3,500 locations Thursday, a figure that beats the superstar’s previous preview nights for Fast and Furious 6 ($7.5M), Hobbs and Shaw ($5.8M), Jumanji: The Next Level ($4.7M), San Andreas ($3.1M) and Rampage ($2.4M). F9 opened to $70 million in May 2021, with the rest of those comps debuting in the $50M range. There hasn’t been anything as glossy, star-studded and tentpole-y like Black Adam since Sony’s Bullet Train, which opened to $30M during the first weekend of August. Universal meanwhile held previews for its George Clooney-Julia Roberts romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise, which made $1.1M at 3,000 theaters off showtimes that began at 5 p.m. Previews began yesterday at 3 p.m. This is at least a very good start for Black Adam.

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Image courtesy of "INSIDER"

'Black Adam' ending explained as Dwayne Johnson suits up (INSIDER)

"Black Adam" introduces the titular new antihero into the DC Extended Universe for the first time. It sees him defend the people of Kahndaq against a violent ...

The only problem with the idea of that battle is that Superman is very level-headed, and Black Adam is able to at least understand reason in order to have a discussion. Realistically, Superman seems like the type of hero that should be able to talk Black Adam down… But it turns out that the vision is actually a way of convincing Doctor Fate to make a sacrifice himself in order to stop Sabbac. It's been a long time coming after the hilarious "cameo" at the end of "Shazam!" [Zachary Levi's Shazam](https://www.insider.com/shazam-movie-cast-real-life-photos-2019-4) involved somewhere down the line. Yes, it is one of the duplicate Hawkmen that is stabbed by Sabbac, not the original. But now that we know Cavill is back in those red boots, it seems like that fight is on the horizon. And Ishmael lets Black Adam kill him because he knows he's about to become one of the most powerful beings in existence. But we've taken a dive into Kahndaq to look at the ending of "Black Adam" and explain what it all means. Because of Ishmael's ancestry, he's determined to take power for himself and restore his family's legacy to something greater than it is at the moment. It's not exactly a great omen about the mission to restore "international stability," but he downplays its importance to his winged partner. However, it's revealed that after the boy's mother was killed by the king, he transferred his powers over to his father, Teth-Adam.

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Image courtesy of "Forbes"

Box Office: 'Black Adam' Nabs $7.6 Million Thursday (Forbes)

in April 2013 ($9.225 million with sneak previews). That (better-reviewed and cheaper but also lower-profile) DC Films flick made $53.5 million over its opening ...

The movie works as a reminder of movie star chemistry and raw star power, and I expect it’ll be leggy over the next month as the only game in town for audiences who don’t care about Marvel or DC. Sure, Rampage grossed $155 million in 2018 and Hobbs & Shaw earned $205 million in 2019, but The Batman and Wonder Woman 1984 made over/under $25 million and Shazam! Johnson’s films outside of Fast and Furious sequels tend to open over/under $35 million (Rampage, Jungle Cruise, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) and $55-$60 million (San Andreas, Jumanji: The Next Level, Hobbs & Shaw). It’ll be because audiences thought a Black Adam movie starring Dwayne Johnson looked worth seeing in theaters and even the bad reviews assured folks that they’d get what they were paying for. Nonetheless, an $7.6 million Thursday gross likely means that we won’t be looking at anything under $55 million for the Fri-Sun frame. The film cost over/under double Birds of Prey and Shazam!, and it’s likely to get kneecapped in three weeks by Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. There are folks otherwise disinterested in a DC Films flick who will show up for Dwayne Johnson, and there are those disinterested in The Rock who will show up because it’s a DC Comics movie. This is a New Line production with the budget of a big-deal Warner Bros. That (better-reviewed and cheaper but also lower-profile) DC Films flick made $53.5 million over its opening weekend ($56.8 million including the sneak peeks). Helping matters is that Black Adam is the first four-quadrant action-fantasy franchise flick since Thor: Love and Thunder in early July. Poor reviews (45% and 5.2/10 over [at Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/black_adam)) and an increased frontloading for those pre-release showings argue for an opening weekend closer to $60 million than $75 million. [review](https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2022/10/18/black-adam-review-dwayne-johnson-continues-dc-films-post-justice-league-winning-streak/)) got off to a solid start on Thursday, earning $7.6 million in advance-day preview showings.

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Image courtesy of "Den of Geek"

Black Adam's Big Secret Spoiled by DC Ahead of Release (Den of Geek)

This post contains spoilers for Black Adam. Reports of the Snyder-verse's death have been greatly exaggerated. For months, it's looked like the DCEU begun ...

DC wanted fans to know that Black Adam wasn’t building up to a fight against the Big Red Cheese Shazam, but against the Last Son of Krypton. [official Twitter account](https://twitter.com/DCComics/status/1583095814808666114) posted a video featuring a texting app on a phone. While some vestiges were sure to remain, in the form of the [Aquaman ](https://www.denofgeek.com/aquaman/)and [Shazam!](https://www.denofgeek.com/shazam/) sequels and possibly the stand-alone [Flash](https://www.denofgeek.com/flash) film, several indicators suggested that Warner Bros. But if it’s the latter, we can be sure that DC won’t let fans wait to see the movie before they find out. [Black Adam](https://www.denofgeek.com/black-adam) seems like an unlikely movie to do this restoration. So DC’s social media team decided not to bet on that hope, or even word of mouth, and just spoil the whole thing on Twitter.

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Image courtesy of "Collider.com"

How Does 'Black Adam' Fit Into the DCEU? (Collider.com)

Black Adam, the newest installment in the DC Expanded Universe of connected films, first caught the interest of producer and star, Dwayne Johnson, ...

In order to justify making the character the focus of his own movie and not just the villain in another's, the audience really needs to understand what makes Black Adam tick. Cavill’s surprise appearance is a clear message that Black Adam isn’t here to restart the DCEU - he’s here to shake it up. It makes a ton of sense to include this band of superheroes specifically, as Black Adam enjoyed an iconic run with the JSA comics as a reformed villain in the early 2000s. Whether or not the film does this effectively is up for debate, but it’s certainly refreshing to see the same studio that jammed Batman into the Man of Steel sequel slow down, listen to nuance from pros like Johnson, and give a figure like Black Adam a special spotlight. He has a lot to offer the DCEU moving forward, and by all indications from his debut, the people behind the wheel are fully aware. Johnson got his way, and Black Adam was kept in the dugout until the time was right for his solo debut. [phase one](https://twitter.com/TheRock/status/1582301247109226497?t=sK6oI8ZzfeBUm17_LqDqFg&s=19)” of a new direction in storytelling, and the start of “ [a new era](https://twitter.com/TheRock/status/1582016546372997120?t=x-l83wvHABLbO9VfpW_7YQ&s=19)” for the DCEU. Above all, Black Adam is most closely related to Shazam!, as it is a direct spin-off and the characters in the comics are rivals. Black Adam is in the unique position to breathe fresh air into the DCEU, despite being its eleventh installment. The original plan was to include Black Adam in Shazam!, but After all, it’s vitally important to the story of Black Adam - if we’re meant to question whether or not he’s a hero, we need constant reminders of how we expect them to be. How does a movie first dreamed up in the mid-2000s (and it kind of shows) fit into the current mythology of the DCEU?

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Image courtesy of "GameSpot"

Black Adam Ending Explained By Dwayne Johnson (GameSpot)

The movie gives us not only Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson), but the Justice Society--a group of heroes that predates the Justice League. Of course, the film also ...

"So ideally, down the road, we will see Superman and Black Adam not only interact, but maybe do a little bit more." "We wanted to at Seven Bucks [Productions]--and all of us, by the way, our director [Jaume Collet-Serra], DC, Warner Brothers, all under new leadership--create and deliver Black Adam and make sure that the world knows when they see the movie that he is the most unstoppable, powerful force on this planet. Ultimately, it should come as no surprise that Black Adam and the Justice Society emerge victorious and find trust in one another. Of course, the film also packs in plenty of surprises, including a post-credits scene you absolutely do not want to miss. If you haven't seen the film and don't want to be spoiled, you should look away now. Black Adam has arrived in theaters, introducing a new and all-powerful hero to the DC Extended Universe.

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Image courtesy of "Hollywood Reporter"

Box Office: Dwayne Johnson's 'Black Adam' Scores Solid $7.6M in ... (Hollywood Reporter)

Dwyane Johnson's 'Black Adam' grossed $7.6 million in previews, while Julia Roberts and George Clooney's rom-com 'Ticket to Paradise' took in $1.1 million ...

The movie earned a solid $1.1 million in previews from 3,000 theaters (today, it will be playing in a total of 3,543 locations). At the same time, it has already earned an impressive $72.6 million overseas, so could overperform and enjoy strong legs in the U.S. In the superhero realm, Thursday previews for Black Adam were ahead of Ant-Man ($6.5 million), which debuted to $57 million in 2015, and Shazam! Adults in the U.S. That includes Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) and Dr. [Ticket to Paradise](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/ticket-to-paradise/), starring [Julia Roberts](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/julia-roberts/) and [George Clooney](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/george-clooney/). The New Line/Warner Bros. [Ticket to Paradise](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/ticket-to-paradise/) [Hollywood Flashback: George Clooney and Julia Roberts’ Chemistry Flowed in ‘Ocean’s Eleven’](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/george-clooney-julia-roberts-oceans-11-ticket-to-paradise-1235243735/) [Michael Shannon](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/michael-shannon/) [Michael Shannon, Kiersey Clemons, Barbie Ferreira to Star in Drag Comedy Drama ‘The Young King’](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/michael-shannon-barbie-ferreira-kiersey-clemons-the-young-king-cast-1235246165/) [international](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/international/) [Damian Lewis to Play Twin Vampires in Dark Comedy ‘The Radleys‘ From ’Heartstopper’ Director Euros Lyn](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/damian-lewis-vampire-the-radleys-1235246106/) Fate (Pierce Brosnan). Black Adam reunites Johnson with his Jungle Cruise director Jaume Collet-Serra and features a team of heroes new to the DC films: the Justice Society of America. [box office](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/box-office/). ($5.9 million), which debuted to $53.5 million in 2019.

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Image courtesy of "The Canberra Times"

Can Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson steady the DC universe with Black ... (The Canberra Times)

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has promised a "reset" to the studio's DC operations in an overhaul to implement a more Marvel-like 10-year structure ...

"This has been a great convergence of Black Adam coming out and new leadership." "For five years, the most powerful and unstoppable force in the entire superhero universe has been idle on the sidelines. "I always felt like it was a matter of convincing our studio partners to try to look beyond the Justice League," Johnson said. "I have been saying for years now that the hierarchy of power in the DC universe is about to change." Black Adam, he believes, is a lesser power to no superhero. Johnson was first announced to play Black Adam way back in 2014. Zaslav has been seeking his studio's answer to Marvel's Kevin Feige to take the reigns. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has promised a "reset" to the studio's DC operations in an overhaul to implement a more Marvel-like 10-year structure and improve quality. My favourite actor and certainly one of my favourite directors," Johnson said. "We did have a template for a really good idea, but ultimately both characters required so much space to properly launch them," said producer Hiram Garcia. Black Adam, summoned to modern day, is depicted as a reluctant hero who fears his own powers. The Rock didn't really need a cape to prove his powers.

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