Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is set to star in DC's Black Adam as the titular supervillain, and the film has a chance to fix a mistake from the actor's very first movie role. Black Adam is one of DC's most powerful villains, and the upcoming film marks the character's big-screen debut, with Johnson in the title role. Dwayne Johnson's induction into the DC Extended Universe presents a unique opportunity for the actor, though, allowing him the opportunity to right a wrong from his first movie role: 2001's The Mummy Returns.
In The Mummy Returns, Johnson appeared as the Scorpion King, a role that seriously underutilized the former wrestler's acting ability and natural charisma. This started a pattern that has continued throughout his career, with Johnson since appearing almost exclusively as nice guys and heroic figures -- but no villainous roles. A Black Adam teaser revealed at DC FanDome 2021 gave fans their first glimpse of the Rock's version of the powerful villain, and it already seems that the film will fix the mistake that dates way back to the start of his Hollywood career two decades ago.
Black Adam is one of DC's most powerful antagonists, and the teaser offers a brief glimpse at the villain and at his abilities. Johnson is undoubtedly the right man for the part, with his physically imposing frame and powerful presence, and seeing him finally unleash a little evil is something that's long overdue. It appears that Black Adam will offer him the opportunity to do just that, with the trailer showing Black Adam killing one of the unnamed expedition members that accidentally resurrected him, and this is exactly what makes Black Adam the perfect vehicle for Johnson's "villainous" career development.
The character of Black Adam is predominantly a supervillain and antagonist in the comics, but there are times when he's portrayed as more of an anti-hero, something akin to a superpowered version of Marvel's Punisher. This allows for Johnson's Adam to be morally ambiguous - but not entirely evil - and that allows for the actor to make a gentle shift in the way he's perceived by audiences, as the actor's real-life image too often translates to his film roles. Black Adam's teaser trailer is short, but it depicts a brutal being that's decidedly less nice than other characters that Johnson has played in recent years.
Another reason that Black Adam is the perfect chance for the Rock's villainous redemption is the DCEU's recent success. While the cinematic universe still has a way to go to catch up with its rivals at Marvel, the recent success of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad proves that DC can sympathetically portray its villains without detracting from the characters' essence. This will prove vital in Black Adam's handling of its titular character, offering Dwayne Johnson an opportunity to play a layered - albeit less-pleasant - protagonist. Johnson will have to work to make the character as three-dimensional as possible in order to ensure the film's success, but that's well within the actor's wheelhouse, as The Rock's numerous successful franchises will attest.
Black Adam certainly seems like Johnson's perfect chance to fix The Mummy Returns' mistake. It's almost poetic, too, as both films are modern narratives in which Johnson plays a resurrected villain with an origin based in ancient history. However, it seems as though DC is finally giving him a chance to fill that oddly specific role in a more satisfying manner. The Rock may have already been a household name during his Mummy days, but he's a certified A-lister now, and Black Adam should be able to fix that early blemish on his otherwise impressive career.
