The Rock is coming back to San Diego!
Dwayne Johnson announced on his social media that his first-ever superhero movie “Black Adam” will be showcased in San Diego Comic-Con’s Hall H, ahead of the film’s October release. He also said that he’ll be joined by The Justice Society of America as featured in the film, including “Noah Centineo, Quintessa Swindell and Aldis Hodge, as well as director Jaume Collet-Serra.
The Hall H panel is also expected to give an inside look at DC’s “League of Super Pets,” which will be released the following week on July 27, and a first look at the sequel “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.”
Previously at Cinemacon, Johnson said that he’s been discussing the idea of “Black Adam” for the last 10 years. He described the Black Adam character as “Dirty Harry” of the superhero world.
Plot details about “Black Adam” — the second New Line DC film following 2019’s “Shazam!” — are still largely under wraps. But it’s known that Black Adam will face off against the Justice Society superhero team, and the film won’t shy away from the character’s anti-hero status.
The first look at how the Justice Society will appear onscreen came during the first installment of DC FanDome, courtesy of two “Black Adam” teasers introduced by Johnson, back in 2020. The clips, which were motion-comics created entirely using concept art, explained that Black Adam was once a member of an advanced ancient civilization chosen by the Council of Wizards — the same group whose last surviving member gave Billy Batson his powers in 2019’s “Shazam!” — to liberate his people from slavery.
However, Black Adam’s brand of Justice was too cruel and vindictive and in response, the Council imprisoned him, seemingly for all eternity. But 5,000 years later, he escapes — and yeah, now we know how — and sets out to continue what he started. This time, superheroes have emerged, and four of them — Cyclone, Atom Smasher, Dr. Fate and Hawkman — unite as the Justice Society to challenge Black Adam.
Johnson produces and stars in “Black Adam,” which is his live-action entry into the DC universe and reunites him with “Jungle Cruise” director Jaume Collet-Serra. The film also stars Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Shahi, Noah Centineo and Aldis Hodge as members of the Justice Society.
Black Adam was created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck in 1945 as the one-time opponent of Shazam (Captain Marvel) during the character’s Fawcett comics era. Following DC Comics’ acquisition and revival of “Shazam” in 1973, Black Adam emerged as one of the DC universe’s most popular antiheroes and is now considered one of Shazam’s core arch enemies.
Warner Bros. and DC are now releasing the film in theaters on October 21, 2022. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” which stars Zachary Levi, Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu, will be released on Dec. 21.