Dwayne Johnson has opened up about why Black Adam is no longer part of DC’s grand plans.
"I think that Black Adam got caught in a vortex of new leadership. At that time when we were creating Black Adam… there were so many changes in leadership," Johnson told Kevin Hart on the Hart to Heart show of the failed lift-off for his character in the DC universe.
For context, Warner Bros. had merged into Warner Bros. Discovery after Black Adam completed filming, while James Gunn and Peter Safran were installed as co-CEOs of DC Studios just days after the film hit cinemas. DCU Chapter One was then announced in January, with Black Adam conspicuously absent from the lineup.
"You have people coming in who creatively, fiscally, are going to make decisions that you may not agree with philosophically. I think Black Adam was one movie that got caught in that web of new leadership."
Johnson added, "That will also be one of the biggest mysteries – not only for me and us on our end – but also throughout our business," referring to audiences who reacted positively to Black Adam’s "diverse superhero portfolio" and a Black Adam post-credits scene that featured the return of Henry Cavill’s Superman – a decision that was overturned by Gunn and Safran just weeks later.
Black Adam was largely regarded as a disappointment at the box office, grossing $393 million. Despite that, it did outperform both Shazam: Fury of the Gods ($133 million), and The Flash ($268 million).
"We look at and respect the bottom line economically, but also… creating opportunity, creating things that are fresh and delivering for the audience – which is our number one boss. When that wasn’t looked through that lens, it makes things a little bit more challenging," Johnson admitted.
Johnson, though, was magnanimous with the movement behind the scenes at DC – comparing it to a shake-up behind the scenes in a sports franchise.
"It’s like new ownership coming in, buying an NFL team and going: ‘Not my head coach, not my quarterback.’"
For more from DC, check out our guides on new superhero movies and how to watch the DC movies in order.
