Pierce Brosnan says the DCEU's upcoming superhero movie Black Adam is more of an ensemble movie. The primary nemesis of Shazam in the comics, Teth-Adam/Black Adam will first be introduced in his own solo-movie in which he will be portrayed by Dwayne Johnson. After being imprisoned for 5,000 years, Adam - who has similar powers to Shazam - will encounter a number of classic DC superheroes operating as the Justice Society of America, including Noah Centineo's Atom Smasher, Aldis Hodge's Hawkman, Quintessa Swindell's Cyclone, and Brosnan's Doctor Fate.
While the film is currently scheduled for release in July 2022, very little is known about the project. Johnson was initially set to appear as Black Adam in 2019's Shazam! as well as an earlier version of Suicide Squad, however plans changed with Warner Bros instead opting to give Johnson his own spin-off movie before facing off against his greatest foe. Black Adam is set to present the warrior from Kahndaq as more of an anti-hero, so it's possible that the film could see him fighting against the JSA before siding with them to defeat an even greater foe.
This would make sense, especially judging from Brosnan's recent comments. Speaking to Collider about his most recent release, Cinderella on Amazon Prime, the former James Bond described Black Adam as "an ensemble piece," citing the Justice Society of America and Black Adam as part of a larger film about what it means to be a hero. Brosnan goes on to say that each actor gets their own chance to shine thanks to the script. Read Brosnan's full statement below:
"It’s an ensemble piece, Black Adam. You have Dwayne, who’s at the pinnacle of his fame and fortune and success and popularity. He is magnificent as Black Adam. We are the Justice Society and there’s four of us, so we became a strong quartet of actors. The writing was very good. There was just enough beats. You just want three good beats. If you have three good scenes to hang your hat and your heart on, then you can make something of your days. For me, Black Adam had that, and Cinderella had it, in its own specific way."
Brosnan's description of Black Adam as "an ensemble piece" is interesting to say the least. It certainly suggests that the JSA have a significant involvement in dealing with Adam, either as opponents or ad-hoc allies. While fans are undoubtedly excited to see Black Adam brought to the screen, especially as so many of co-stars have praised Johnson's performance, they are equally excited to see the classic JSA members brought to life as well, especially Doctor Fate. It's good to hear then that the characters will be given enough time to shine rather than making brief appearances.
While Black Adam will inevitably reappear in a later DCEU movie, quite possibly Shazam: Fury of the Gods, it's entirely possible that the JSA characters could receive their own spin-off as well were Black Adam to be successful. There's a great deal of history for the DCEU to draw on, and with the future of Justice League unclear, the JSA would be the perfect opportunity for the DCEU to focus elsewhere, especially as they already have a ready-made ensemble. Fans will just have to wait to see how Brosnan's Doctor Fate and his allies fit together and how well they succeed when they face off against Johnson's character when Black Adam releases next year.
Source: Collider
