Viola Davis' return as Amanda Waller is officially happening in Black Adam. The DC Extended Universe is ushering in a new era, and Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam will play a big role in it. The upcoming DCEU movie features The Rock's long-awaited debut as Black Adam, but it is also responsible for introducing the Justice Society of America. Characters like Dr. Fate, Atom Smasher, Hawkman, and Cyclone are set to appear and join the growing list of DCEU characters. However, there has still been great speculation about the possibility of known DCEU characters returning in Black Adam.
One of the noticeable aspects of the DCEU's new vision is making the movies more connected, including putting crossover characters in various projects. Arguably the biggest example of this idea came with the Justice League being in Peacemaker. There have been no shortage of rumors about what DCEU characters could make surprise appearances in Black Adam. Henry Cavill's Superman and Zachary Levi's Shazam are two of the most requested cameos. It was previously rumored that Peacemaker's Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) would appear in Black Adam,too.
It has now been revealed that Viola Davis will return as Amanda Waller in Black Adam, which was confirmed during Warner Bros.' Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2022. Viola Davis made her DCEU debut as Waller in 2016's Suicide Squad, where she was introduced as the one overseeing Task Force X. She recently returned for The Suicide Squad and made a cameo in Peacemaker. Amanda Waller's Black Adam return marks her fourth appearance in the DCEU overall.
The return of Amanda Waller in Black Adam gives the film a major connection to the larger DCEU universe. It is unknown how big of a role Viola Davis' character has or how she is connected to the movie's main story. Peacemaker's ending last showed Waller watching as she was being outed on live TV for her crimes with Task Force X. While this will be the first potential encounter between Amanda Waller and Black Adam in the DCEU, the original plan for Suicide Squad 2 was to make Black Adam the villain.
This upcoming appearance for Viola Davis' Amanda Waller could be important for the larger DCEU plans. It was previously announced that James Gunn is developing an Amanda Waller series for HBO Max. Black Adam is now in a position to possibly set up pieces of the show's story or at least fill in what has happened to Waller after Peacemaker's finale. In any case, it is unlikely that Viola Davis filmed a major appearance in secret, meaning audiences should prepare for a minor role for Amanda Waller in Black Adam overall.
Source: Warner Bros.
