Dwayne Johnson, Warner Bros.’ tense relationship, ‘Black Adam’ troubles revealed in new report
There are currently "no plans" for a "Black Adam 2" in the DC Universe after the film underperformed at the box office.
One of last year’s highly anticipated films, “Black Adam” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, flew into theaters last fall. Coming at a time when DC Films was already influx and shifting, many hoped it would be a step in the right direction for the studio, with Johnson himself publicly speaking of his love of DC Comics and his hope to please the fans. The film, however, underperformed at the box office, leaving the future of Black Adam and the DC Universe at large in question, all while James Gunn was recently brought on to oversee the direction of the massive comic book extended universe.
Now, in a recent report from Variety, details have emerged from Johnson’s relationship with Warner Bros., what he had planned for the future of “Black Adam” and what went left between him and the studio. Per Variety’s report, Johnson, along with “Black Adam” producers Hiram Garcia and Beau Flynn, “went around everyone” to pitch the future of “Black Adam” to CEO David Zaslav, which “didn’t sit well” and “ruffled feathers.”
The pitch included reintroducing Henry Cavill’s Superman to the DCEU, which would eventually lead to a Black Adam vs. Superman showdown film. While Cavill did get a cameo at the end of “Black Adam,” just a few months later the actor revealed he in fact will not return as Superman, after a conversation with Gunn and Peter Safran, who are currently working to plan the future of DC Films.
Tension also came from alleged demands Johnson made with the studio, which started with requesting a producing credit on the animated DC film “DC League of Super-Pets.” Per the outlet, while Johnson wanted the credit he, “did little to promote it.” He also allegedly “insisted on a tequila bar” at the New York City premiere of “Black Adam,” complete with his Teremana brand. A source told the outlet, “His demands increased and the returns just weren’t there,” when reflecting on the eventual diminished box office returns from the film.
This report comes just weeks after Johnson announced that there are currently no plans for the first chapter of DC Films currently being planned out. He shared in a statement, “James Gunn and I connected, and Black Adam will not be in their first chapter of storytelling. However, DC and Seven Bucks have agreed to continue exploring the most valuable ways Black Adam can be utilized in future DC multiverse chapters.”
Check out the full Variety report, here.
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