After years of anticipation and delays, Black Adam is just around the corner and ready to shake up the DCEU. Not only will the film introduce the character of Black Adam (portrayed by Dwayne Johnson, who also serves as producer), it will also bring the Justice Society of America into DC's live-action cinematic universe for the first time.
The incredible cast of new superheroes includes Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone. But it's not all brand-new faces, as Viola Davis is set to reprise her role as Amanda Waller from The Suicide Squad. Johnson's excitement about bringing Black Adam to life has been palpable for years, and it feels like something of a family reunion with Jungle Cruise's Jaume Collet-Serra directing him once more.
While at San Diego Comic-Con, Screen Rant spoke to Dwayne Johnson and the cast of Black Adam, as well with producers Hiram Garcia and Beau Flynn, about their vision for the future of the JSA and the new direction in which they are taking the DCEU. Watch the videos below and read the selected quotes to learn more:
We're seeing you ripping arms off; punching planes.
Dwayne Johnson: That footage is a reflection of our tone. That footage is also a reflection of our director's vision, who wanted to create something that was different; who wanted to create a movie that was disruptive. But also he wanted to create a movie that would start the pendulum swing in the DC universe.
In addition to the hierarchy of power that I've been talking about, this pendulum swing [will] usher in a new era of the DC Universe. A new antihero era; a new era of tone, and a new era of story. And also, it's this incredible opportunity that we have at Seven Bucks Productions for Black Adam's storytelling to build out the DC Universe with disruption and with respect. Listening to the fans, because they'll always guide you.
Admittedly, I was a DC kid right out of the gates. I'm still a DC kid, because I'm a big ass kid. I don't think I ever grow up. But if you look a little further past the obvious characters in the DC world, there is a cadre of so many cool characters that we look forward to highlighting and introducing to the world.
We got a glimpse of Hawkman fighting Black Adam. What's going on there?
Aldis Hodge: They're friends; they just had a little spat. [Laughs] No, they're both savage beasts who are moving to the beat of their own drum. Best intentions in the world, they're just opposed on a couple of different things. They clash every now and then, and you get the best of these two feral animals just knocking it out.
When it comes to biggest battles that I have never seen the likes of, these guys are incredible. And what they go through is massive.
How do you feel about the idea of this being a launch point for something bigger in this universe?
Aldis Hodge: How do you think I feel? I feel fantastic. Let's launch it! Launch all them rockets. Let's go. DJ keeps saying to people, "The hierarchy of the DC Universe is gonna change," and he really means it. Because the tone here, the execution of story; character arcs, setup, and the relationships that you see? This man has a real plan, and he knows what he's doing.
Jauma, our director, is incredibly talented. This brother really took us and made us what we needed to be. They have a plan for giving people have a very awesome, new experience on what DC is. This is the start of it, and fans will know once they see it. Yeah, I'm ready for that.
Tell me about playing Cyclone. The moment you put everything on for the first time, what goes through your head?
Quintessa Swindell: I think I cried, because it was like, "Wait, what? I'm actually in the suit." And the suit was just made for me; it's just so strange. But it was just amazing.
Everyone wanted the character to be unique and really special, and not something we had really seen on the screen before. Embodying that, and also being trusted enough to shape the character and bring new elements to the character was just really awesome. There's a lot of pulls from the comics, obviously, but there's a lot of stuff that's just our spin on it. Jauma's vision for it and our producers' vision was just incredible.
It sounds like you're implying it was collaborative from your end?
Quintessa Swindell: Yeah, absolutely. Which was amazing, because when you think of a film on this scale, you don't really think we're going to have a solid exchanged. It was really amazing
Tell me who Atom Smasher is. How would you describe him in this movie?
Noah Centineo: In this movie! In the comic books, he's a fully formed superhero, right? He's an adult.
In this movie, though, he's kind of a young man. He's a young metahuman that gets to, for the first time, take that first step into what it means to be a superhero. He comes from a pedigree of superheroes, and his grandfather was actually a super villain, but not by choice. He was kind of forced into it, and he did rectify it in the end.
With all of that familial history, he feels a driving force to prove himself; to find his way and his path and to do good and establish himself as a good person and a superhero. You get to really see that transitional phase, which I don't think you get to see often. And it's the same with Maxine Hunkel, who is played by Quintessa.
Hiram was talking to me about spin-offs. He's like, "I have all these ideas going all the time. We don't know what's going to happen." But if that were to come up, how would that feel?
Noah Centineo: If you want them, you will have them. I'm down. I know we're all super down. And you know what? It's not just because the story and the characters are so fun, it's because we all had such an incredible time making this movie. I couldn't have felt luckier and happier. It's almost always a really good, fun time and you learn a lot. But this was like family. I feel very blessed.
Do you feel like this could be the start of your collaboration with the JSA? Do you think you could be doing more?
Jaume Collet-Serra: I don't know. I'm just on this one. Honestly, one movie at a time for me. It's been three years, almost four. Between this one and Jungle Cruise, has been almost six. I just direct the movie, and then let other people decide what's next.
How does Black Adam differ from anything you've tackled before?
Jaume Collet-Serra: In many ways. From a character standpoint, you have to not ignore the fact that he was a slave 5000 years ago. He got God-like powers, and then basically awakens in our modern time. He has to deal with how the world has changed. He brings that morality and that sense of justice, or injustice, from 5000 years ago - and he won't take any bulls--t. I think that's refreshing.
That's why [I compare him] to Dirty Harry, and roles like that. In a time where the system is broken, and it's corrupt, you need somebody that will cross the line and do what's needed. When he awakens in these modern times, he realizes that we're all still slaves; maybe not with shackles, but there's corporations, and there's injustices of the world. His fight for freedom is still the same. I don't think there's any other superhero that has that perspective.
And also, the movie has heart. Every superhero has a heartfelt story, but I think that perspective in the world is what makes him very unique.
It looks violent, even more violent than I was expecting.
Hiram Garcia: Yeah, 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.
It kind of sounded like Black Adam is the foundation for this new universe. What can you say about what this is starting?
Hiram Garcia: The excitement with Black Adam is that we're using him to expand the DC Universe. I think, through him as our breaking point, we get to now add in the JSA and who knows what other characters come in. But when you put a character like Black Adam into the universe into the DC Universe, who's that strong, that unpredictable and uncontrollable, it requires more people to come around to try their best to manage him.
I think using him as the point of that spear is a really nice tool for us to start expanding the universe in a fun way.
Beau Flynn: It's cool too. Because of the JSA, we have an opportunity to also explore these incredible, rich, really complicated characters. There's all kinds of opportunities to spin off those characters, as well as bring new ones into ours. And I do think you're right, it takes a village to manage [Black Adam]. Probably the entire DC library is what it's going to take.
I hate to make you pick one, but beyond Black Adam, who are you most excited to introduce the fans to onscreen?
Beau Flynn: That's a hard question, because these are all your babies here. This is a tricky one. Doctor Fate, we can pay tribute to Pierce Brosnan. One of the great actors of all time, and I think Dr. Fate is also such a unique, very powerful hero that people want to know a ton about.
Hiram Garcia: I agree. I think Hawkman obviously is fantastic, but the fun thing about Fate is that we have the technology to do Fate and take care of him the right way. Because Fate is one of those guys that is hard to do practical; you've got to have some technology on your side. To be able to bring him to screen and know what a fan-favorite he it? That's really exciting.
Black Adam Synopsis
Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods -- and imprisoned just as quickly -- Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.
Catch our other interview with Black Adam's Justice Society as well as with Dwayne Johnson for Jungle Cruise & Jumanji: The Next Level, and with Aldis Hodge for One Night in Miami and The Invisible Man.
