Dwayne Johnson shares a disappointing Black Adam update, following weeks of reports and shake-ups going on with the DC Universe under DC Studios.
Dwayne Johnson shares a disappointing Black Adam update as the DC Universe film dealt with the financial struggle at the box office. The fate of the DCU has been unknown for the last few weeks as Gunn and Peter Safran are now leading the franchise. Having spent nearly two decades trying to bring Black Adam to the big screen, Johnson got his due this fall, but not with the expected results. Throughout the last few weeks, Johnson has remained silent on all the ongoing shake-ups at DC Studios.
As the DCU has been facing multiple shake-ups, Johnson has now broken his silence on the future of his franchise and Black Adam 2. Johnson shared a complete statement on Twitter about having met with the new DC Studios leaders, confirming that the first chapter of the DCU won’t include the antihero. However, the actor teases that there will be things to look forward to in the future. Gunn has also responded to Johnson’s Black Adam statement, showing his support for the actor, with the following message:
How Can Black Adam Return To The DCU In The Future?
Following Black Adam’s release, Johnson stressed that the antihero would change the hierarchy of power in the DCU. With the introduction of the Justice Society of America, there were ideas for spinoff projects that would potentially feature them. Johnson had also hoped to see Black Adam fight Superman after Henry Cavill reprised the role of the Man of Steel in the post-credits scene. However, Black Adam’s box office results seem to have affected all those aspirations. But with Gunn penning a new Superman movie, Johnson’s statement about his own DCU future doesn’t come as too much of a surprise.
With Gunn and Johnson still looking to use Black Adam in future stories, it does raise a few questions. The DCU is seemingly heading for a reboot in some capacity, but to what degree is unclear. Many have assumed that all the attached actors will not continue playing their respective characters. However, even if the DCU goes for a soft reboot, Johnson’s Black Adam could be one of the players Gunn will continue to use in his franchise. A soft reboot wouldn’t erase everything, but perhaps be looser with the continuity while still using established characters. Whether or not that is what Gunn will do with DC Studios and its cinematic universe remains to be seen.
How Dwayne Johnson’s Multiverse Comment Could Impact Black Adam
One takeaway from Johnson’s statement that may be getting overlooked is the part about “future DCU multiverse chapters.” What this may imply is that if Johnson returns as Black Adam in his specific franchise, it might suggest that it will be more standalone. It could be similar to how Warner Bros. Discovery is tackling The Batman and Joker universes, where they have no ties to other properties. Having a main DCU continuity but also offshoot franchises would allow the DC Studios to be diversified in the stories they tell. This way, Johnson can continue playing the version of Black Adam he brought to life this year and not have to start over. Now that Johnson, and Gunn, have responded about the future of Black Adam, time will tell where the character fits into the DCU in years to come.
