The producers of Black Adam open up about how proud they are of the depiction of violence in the film. Black Adam is based on the DC comics character who blurs the line between anti-hero and all-out villain, even acting as an antagonist to characters like Shazam. The film is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, who previously worked with Dwayne Johnson on Disney's Jungle Cruise and helmed several Liam Neeson action films like Non-Stop and The Commuter.
Johnson stars as the titular anti-hero, donning the black suit with the thunderbolt on his chest. Johnson is joined by a talented cast, many of whom are playing superheroes from the Justice Society that are also making their debut in the film, like Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, Sarah Shahi as Isis, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, and Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate. The plot will see Black Adam imbued with the powers of the Egyptian Gods before being imprisoned for 5,000 years. Once freed, the antihero will set about delivering his unique form of justice to the world.
Screen Rant caught up with Black Adam producers Hiram Garcia and Beau Flynn at San Diego Comic-Con, where they were asked about their approach to violence in the film. According to Garcia, they set out to capture the character's violence and edginess to appease fans. Flynn reinforced the sentiment, stating that Black Adam is often ruthless while also assuring that it is generally deserved. Regarding violence in the film, the producers also say that Black Adam sets itself apart from other films in the superhero genre. Check out Garcia and Flynn's comments about the violence in Black Adam below:
Hiram Garcia: "That was the focus. We wanted to deliver on the character; make sure we were taking care of the fans. It felt like we were able to capture the edge and violence that I think everyone loves about Black Adam, and that was the goal going in."
Beau Flynn: "That was the goal, and I think we achieved it. Black Adam is ruthless in his ways when he has to be, and it's usually deserved. When you cross the man in black, you're gonna get the horns. And it's not pretty."
"We're really proud of that. That's cool, and it just separates our movie from other movies in the genre. We're excited about that."
Trailers for Black Adam have already shown violent encounters in the film, like the character casually punching a jet out of the sky and super-powered fights on crowded streets. However, the trailer also caught some attention for Johnson's line where the Black Adam states that he kills people. While that may seem drastic for Johnson's fanbase or audiences unfamiliar with the character, Black Adam is the type of character that can easily fall in line with such a statement. And while trailers have offered a glimpse, viewers don't yet know the true extent of the violence in the film.
Black Adam is currently slated to hit theaters on October 21, kicking off a slate of DC comics-inspired films over the course of the next year, which includes Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and The Flash. DC likely has a franchise in mind with Black Adam or even bigger event films akin to that of the MCU, which would see him facing off against The Suicide Squad, Shazam, or even the Justice League. Further information on Black Adam will be forthcoming as the film nears release.
