If recent reports are to be believed, Hollywood's current golden boy, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, will be making an appearance as Black Adam in the forthcoming Suicide Squad 2 - and that could be just the kick the sequel to the divisive DCEU film needs. Unusually, Johnson was attached to DC's Shazam! long before the movie cast its titular star (now confirmed to be Zachary Levi), although perhaps even stranger was that the project marks the former wrestler's first real foray into comic book movies, as well as a rare recent turn in a more villainous role. Weirder still, it was confirmed earlier this year that Black Adam would not be appearing in Shazam! after all, and would instead be saved for a solo venture.Like most comic book characters, Black Adam's origin story has morphed over time, but the figure is often presented the arch-nemesis of Shazam and frequently walks the line between outright villain and anti-hero. His powers and appearance are similar to that of Shazam's, with the character originally portrayed as an Egyptian predecessor to the godlike hero.
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How does he work into Task Force X's adventures? The original Suicide Squad movie saw a ragtag bunch of incarcerated evil-doers reluctantly brought together as a last-resort against extreme threats. Although the release was undoubtedly a financial success, the critical reaction was far more scathing. Could the inclusion of Hollywood's most profitable actor be the missing ingredient that will lead Suicide Squad 2 to success across the board and silence the doubters?
What Exactly Went Wrong With The Original Suicide Squad?
Arguably, the most overriding criticism of Suicide Squad was its dominatingly style-over-substance approach that resulted in the finished product mimicking but ultimately failing to live up to a fantastic trailer and clever marketing campaign. It boasted an A-list cast, an on-trend soundtrack and a classy visual style yet many fans felt shortchanged once the end credits began to roll.
For starters, the film's plot was accused of being thin, formulaic and often muddled in its logic. Many of the characters also came in for criticism, with the Squad's lesser-known members being sidelined in favor of the movie's bigger stars, leaving the likes of Diablo and Rick Flagg noticeably two-dimensional. Reviews were also not fond of Suicide Squad's flat third act, with the CGI-heavy climax a particular issue and the inclusion of Jared Leto's Joker acting largely as a sideshow to the main plot.
Another huge issue arose out of Suicide Squad's central antagonist, Cara Delevingne's Enchantress. While June Moone was designed to draw sympathy from the audience, the character was so under-developed that when the archaeologist was taken over by the Enchantress proper, there was no connection and just an elusive threat. This antagonist problem was exacerbated by the empty inclusion of Enchantress' brother Incubus, who distracted screen-time for no real purpose.
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Neither Enchantress nor Joker (who was restricted to a glorified cameo), were an effective counter to the unique anti-hero nature of the actual Squad in the original film; some members of the Task Force felt too heroic (looking at you, Deadshot), and those who remained bad never quite registered due to a lack of contrast.
What Does The Rock Offer To Suicide Squad?
Evidently, then, Suicide Squad 2 has plenty of work to do to turn dissenters around, arguably too much for one actor or character to shoulder alone, but there's no doubt that the presence of Black Adam could greatly improve the sequel's chances - albeit only if used correctly.
Put simply, Suicide Squad had a distinct lack of likable characters. Margot Robbie's performance may have ensured Halloween 2016 was the year of Harley Quinn but other than that, the cast of anti-heroes on offer were, sadly, mostly forgettable. Enter Black Adam. Even The Rock's most vocal detractors couldn't accuse the man of lacking charisma and if Suicide Squad 2 needs an injection of charm and warmth, they need look no further than Dwayne Johnson, even if he does end up playing a bad guy.
In fact, playing a bad guy may be why he is the cure...
The Rock Vs. Suicide Squad
If the report is true and Johnson's Black Adam is set to be the MacGuffin of Suicide Squad 2 - a dangerous weapon of mass destruction that the Squad must seek out - then this sets him up as the antagonist of the piece. Black Adam is, on paper at least, a far more suitable opponent for the Squad to fight against than Enchantress was and would, therefore, hopefully, resolve some of the villain-related issues present in the first movie.
He's a stronger villain than Enchantress, so his presence will better justify bringing together the various anti-heroes while also providing a greater challenge, in turn hopefully providing Suicide Squad 2 with a more focused plot. Bigger than that, though, The Rock is a more box office friendly actor than Cara Delevingne, and Black Adam a more recognizable figure in DC lore, so you have a greater audience expectation.
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In Suicide Squad, Enchantress and Incubus ended up as little more than CGI constructs with minimal character development. As a character who is destined to be an integral part of the DCEU's future, Adam is highly unlikely to be a two-dimensional persona drenched in poorly executed special effects. Indeed, having lived through The Scorpion King, Johnson himself is surely wary of that particular pitfall. Many critics believe that a superhero movie lives or dies by the quality of its villain, and if Black Adam is to take over those duties in Suicide Squad 2, the sequel could be heading towards some serious improvement.
Is The Rock Enough To Save Suicide Squad 2?
With all that said, it's worth examining exactly what Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson brings to his movies. Charisma certainly, but also star power, a bankable name, a brand and a built-in fanbase. Of course, these are all things that the original Suicide Squad already had in abundance; the glittering cast of Robbie, Smith, Leto, Davis, Delevingne, etc. was one of the most star-studded superhero lineups this side of Infinity War and yet still, the movie failed to utilize.
Of all the things Suicide Squad 2 requires to improve upon its predecessor, yet another en-vogue A-lister in a minor role is not one of them. Furthermore, The Rock may be a talented actor but for all his profitability, won't be keeping Leonardo DiCaprio up at night with his range and versatility. If the original Suicide Squad suffered from a style-over-substance approach, casting a man who has often been accused of playing slightly different versions of himself in each of his movies would hardly be a sign that lessons have been learned.
There is also still a chance, per the original report, that Johnson's role in Suicide Squad 2 is restricted to a cameo due to his busy schedule. Regardless of plot importance, that could be a worrying sign as such appearances were a critiqued area of the first movie. While many appreciated what Leto tried with his Joker, his integration into the overall plot was woeful; what was originally one of the movie's most exciting prospects quickly became a source of frustration as the iconic figure remained firmly on the periphery. Many suspected that Leto's presence was more of a marketing ploy than a genuinely necessary element of the plot and if The Rock's Black Adam is destined for a similar role in Suicide Squad 2, that's not going to be pretty.
Read More: What Is The Future of Jared Leto's Joker?
Dwayne Johnson perhaps isn't the man who can single-handedly turn Suicide Squad 2 into a critics' favorite, then, but the presence of Black Adam could at the least provide a solid opportunity for some significant improvements. By giving the sequel a more meaningful connection to the wider DCEU and possibly even providing it with a more focused plot by acting as an exciting new central antagonist, Johnson could really live up to his "franchise viagra" moniker here
However, that is utterly dependent on how the character is handled. After all, who would have thought that characters as well-known and loved as The Joker, Harley Quinn and Deadshot, all played by bonafide A-listers no less, could have received such a tepid fan reaction? If a movie featuring a Joker cameo can ultimately disappoint DC fans, then one with Black Adam certainly can.
Whether The Rock ultimately joins Suicide Squad 2 or not, any potential improvement upon the original will hinge largely upon director/writer Gavin O'Connor. If he can get the best out of his talented cast, then the rumored addition of Dwayne Johnson will likely be a huge, fan-pleasing bonus. But if the issues of the original movie remain, The Rock will just be another mishandled big name in a franchise that has since moved on to better things.
