Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson clearly loves a challenge. On top of just being a guy with an insane work ethic, he also embodies the word hustle. It is rare that he isn’t promoting his newest movie, or his tequila, or even music, often all at the same time. The biggest example right now is his one man hype train for the Warner Bros. Pictures film, “Black Adam.”
Given that he could feasibly pull that train by himself, he probably feels right at home. Johnson gave a quick update on the production of his DC Comics-based film, as it continues reshoots with director Jaume Collet-Serra. The image shared to Johnson’s Instagram is exactly the type of dark and moody antihero we hope he brings to the screen.
Sharing these pictures is cool, but it also speaks to how Johnson is fully aware that he has to keep reminding the public about “Black Adam.” Even in the best of circumstances, a film focused on a slightly obscure DC Comics villain is a bit of a hard sell. While being a spin off of the well-liked “Shazam!,” movies that aren’t about Batman doing well with audiences are the exception, not the rule.
If that wasn’t hard enough, “Black Adam” had its release date shifted to allow more time for effects work that was reportedly stymied by the Covid-19 pandemic. Johnson appears to have taken the pressure to heart and wants to make fans aware this will be worth the wait. Not only does the picture emphasize the bold look of Johnson’s costume, but it underlines how this potentially paves the way for the future of the DC cinematic universe.
As a self identified DC Comics fan, I really hope that it can live up to Johnson’s promises. Having underused characters like Dr. Fate, Hawkman, and freakin’ Atom Smasher/Nuklon in the mix makes for a personal dream come true. As much as I love the core Justice League characters, the deeper roster of DC Comics needs its due, and “Black Adam” stands to be the proof of concept. Hopefully, Johnson’s salesmanship leads to a film that both respects that legacy and has enough for new people to want to see it. Cause if this works, we can finally get the G’nort and Ch’p team up movie I’ve been whining about for decades.
“Black Adam” is set to release October 21st, 2022.
