Black Adam: What to expect from the upcoming Dwayne Johnson DCEU film?

"Will 'Black Adam' prove worth the wait for the millions...and millions of The Rock's fans? Or will it be an unlikely Rock Bottom? Here's what we know so far about it. With a release date FINALLY! almost here, the anticipation for Dwayne  "The Rock" Johnson's latest box office smash,  "Black Adam " a role many fans believe he was born to play. 

With powerful action and strikes of lightning, these glimpses of Black Adam in the trailer offered audiences some clues as to the tone and direction of the feature. Notably, the latest DCEU film offers an appropriately contrasting energy to the 2019 wholesome tone of "Shazam!" With both titular characters closely linked in the comic book lore, they are bound to collide at some point on the big screen.

A Detailed Back-Story

Both the trailers for "Black  Adam" decisively point out that he is 5,000 years old and correspondingly grumpy. When we further dissect the trailer, we can expect a detailed backstory of how Black Adam gained his powers, mixed with the struggles the character faces as an immortal entity.  

The Justice Society of America

The Justice Society of America, a new team of DCEU heroes, will be also debuting alongside Black Adam in DCEU. The group includes the character Dr Fate, as well as first looks at Hawkman, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher. The way this group interacts with the main character will undoubtedly be a driving factor throughout the film.

A Brewing Romance for Adam

The trailer also showcases Sarah Shahi as Isis and it may imply a romantic subplot that changes how Black Adam who is essentially a dark anti-hero behaves in this film and any other future projects.DC has been planning the character's big screen breakout for a very long time. It's been a rocky road (pun intended) for a theatrical release which has been well documented. Johnson will finally get to bring "Black  Adam" to comic-loving audiences worldwide.

Johnson who was as excited to get into a character that he's been teasing fans via Instagram about getting into fighting shape for the movie ever since his casting was announced. And yes, it appears he'll be getting even more buff than usual for the project. Which brings us to...

His Superpowers

Black Adam, just like Billy Batson who also yells "SHAZAM," is bestowed his abilities by Egyptian gods. The stamina of Shu offers Black Adam endurance and sustenance, meaning he can live without food, water, or air. The god Horus gifts him superhuman speed and flight. Strength equal to that of Superman comes from Amon. Meanwhile,  the wisdom of Zehuti and the power of Aten make  Black Adam not only super-intelligent but able to use magic — an ability that often gives him the upper hand. And finally, the courage of Mehen makes him invulnerable.

Needless to say, Black Adam in comics is a powerhouse of super abilities equal to and often surpassing the strongest we have seen, likes of Superman and Captain Marvel. However, the character is not without his limits. Most interestingly,  yet inconsistently explored in the comics,  

the 5000-year-old Adam is stuck in his powerful form. Unlike "Shazam!” who is in teens  Black Adam can't transform back and forth between superhero and child by saying one word. If he were to revert to his original self, his body would disintegrate, ageing the thousands of years that have passed.

The Timeline

The DCEU timeline is loose, potentially broken, and not nearly as streamlined as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Wonder Woman movies did fill points in a timeline that seemingly centres around the 2017 Justice League" feature. However, the inconsistencies doubled with 2016's Suicide Squad and James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, mixed with differently aged actors portraying Batman, leaving us with more questions than answers about the timeline. For a universe that is about to get even messier with the upcoming "The Flash" movie that reportedly involves significant time travel. So, where does "Black Adam" fit into the  DCEU timeline that is otherwise fractured?  

As seen in the released trailers, the  story begins thousands of years ago, making it simple to choose an awakening point to align with certain characters and events. With news that Viola Davis's Amanda Waller  character from "The Suicide Squad" is set to appear in "Black Adam," the story will likely  take place in the modern day after the events of "Justice League." The choice to bring Black  Adam into the DCEU as it currently stands would simplify any future throwdowns with established characters such as Superman and Shazam. However, an explanation will be necessary for why the Justice Society of America is reacting to the film's events instead of characters that previously existed in the universe.

Can you smell what The Rock is cooking? The line holds some depth nowadays as the a-list movie star is intentionally stirring the DCEU pot. Johnson is putting much stock in his new  superpowered character to pave the way for a revival of the DC cinematic Universe. During his  arrival at the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con event, a large screen behind him boldly stated, "The DC Universe will never be the same”.  The  Rock doubled down on the statement, saying,"The idea [behind the film] was: How can we create something that’s fresh, unique, maybe show and create things that have never been done?”  

This indicates that we are in a new era in the DC Universe, it’s a time for a shift,  an era where the studio is finally listening to the fans. Given the unstoppable popularity of superhero  films and the universal love of Dwayne Johnson's electrifying charm this one is going to be an awesome ride.