The Rock Reveals Joker Cinematographer Will Shoot Black Adam

Joker cinematographer Lawrence Sher will shoot Black Adam, star Dwayne Johnson revealed on Twitter Saturday. Sher is fresh off studio Warner Bros.’ Godzilla: King of the Monsters and the Todd Phillips-directed Joaquin Phoenix vehicle Joker, his first entry in the DC Comics arena, and previously filmed Phillips’ Hangover trilogy and Due Date for the studio. After years in development, Johnson’s comic book project is now being readied for a July 2020 shooting start and a December 22, 2021 release under Warner’s New Line Cinema (Shazam!), Flynn Picture Company (Rampage, Skyscraper) and Johnson’s own Seven Bucks Productions (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Jumanji: The Next Level, Jungle Cruise).

“Larry Sher is a brilliant [director of photography] and a great dude,” Johnson tweeted Saturday. “We just worked together on Jungle Cruise and he’ll also shoot Black Adam.”

Johnson earlier debuted the first official look at his Black Adam, who is “blessed by magic with the powers equal to Superman,” Johnson wrote on an Instagram post depicting concept art created by BossLogic and DC Comics’ Jim Lee.

“I’m honored to join the iconic #DCUniverse and it’s a true pleasure to become, BLACK ADAM. BLACK ADAM is blessed by magic with the powers equal to SUPERMAN, but the difference is he doesn’t toe the mark or walk the line,” Johnson wrote. “He’s a rebellious, one of a kind superhero, who’ll always do what’s right for the people – but he does it his way. Truth and justice – the BLACK ADAM way. This role is unlike any other I’ve ever played in my career and I’m grateful to the bone we’ll all go on this journey together.”

In the DC Comics, Black Adam was the archenemy of Shazam, a.k.a. Captain Marvel. Shazam! star Zachary Levi previously revealed Warner Bros. plans to bring the two franchises together in Shazam! 3.

“I can say that as far as I know, Black Adam is not going to be in the second Shazam!, because the idea is that they want to go and do a standalone Black Adam movie first,” Levi said during Germany’s CCXP Cologne convention over the summer. “And then it would kind of be, if we do a third Shazam! and a second Black Adam, kind of [parallel] like that, that’s where we would [meet].”

Black Adam opens Dec. 22, 2021.